Porcelain Mask
by Enzonia
Summary: 'This is not me. I put this mask on, and I can't take it off now. The mask is fragile; it could break at the lightest touch. I must never let that happen. Never.' When you enter the Hunger Games, are you ever truly yourself again? Or do you change? Pretending to be in love is one thing, but what if you have to pretend to be a ruthless killer? PRETTY MUCH ABANDONED, SORRY!
1. The Fisherwoman: Intro!

**Sadly enough I do not own the Hunger Games, they belong to the wonderful Suzanne Collins and are not mine.**

**The Fisherwoman**

"Shut _up_ Marlin!".

This is the sound that pulls me out my dreams back into reality, and not the nicest reality either. My best friends Nymph and Marlin are once again locked in a bitter argument about nothing-in-particular. I would roll my eyes but even that requires too much effort today.

Because today is reaping day.

I make a non-committal grunting sound and roll onto my side away from the arguing couple. Not that they are a couple. Or maybe they are. _I'd _be the last to know. A spray of stone interrupts my musings and I splutter and, regretfully, return to the land of the awake. Nymph seems to have passed straight through the phase of arguing and shouting, and has moved onto the stage before physical violence, death by sand.

"What. The. _Hell_ Nymph?" I shout this through a mouthful of sand, and she looks momentarily bashful, before replying with a whiney

"He started it!"

Marlin grins at me and I summon the energy to roll my eyes. "What did he do this time Nymph? Did he insult your reaping clothes? Did he them stupid? Because that's not an insult you know, that's the truth."

This little nugget of wisdom earns me another mouthful of sand and I conjure a mouthful of sand and spit in my mouth and return fire. Nymph shrieks as golden globs of spit splatter her silver-mermaid dress.

"A-a-l!" She moans looking down at her dress "That cost me two Carps!"

I roll my eyes again (this is the most exercise I get on reaping day).

"Well then you were ripped off, weren't you?" I reply, irritated.

My own reaping dress is currently at home, stuffed into a draw somewhere. It was a minor miracle in itself that I managed to get out the house this morning without my step-mother ramming it over my head. Nymph seems ready to explode, she has a hot temperament on a normal day, and this is not a normal day by anyone's standard. Sensing the imminent eruption of the volcano 'Mt. Nymph Odair'.

Marlin interrupts "Nymph, Calm down, it's only a dress, and it's not like you're going to be reaped anyway, Aal, stop being so violent and aggressive. If you feel the need to let out aggression, just volunteer for the unlucky girl who's reaped and you can let out all the aggression in the world."

Nymph still looks murderous, but then again, she always looks murderous on reaping day. Me and Marlin are both offspring of merchants, and so our name is only in the orb-of-doom seven or eight times. Nymph does not have this privilege, and so her name is in the orb almost fifty times. Tesserae may save you from dying of thirst in District 4, but it leads to death in other ways. Other more bloodthirsty ways…

* * *

><p>"Are we going to fish or what?"<p>

For the second time today I am jolted awake. It is so easy to fall asleep by the sea in District 4, and I seem to have fallen for the sleepy-spell of the sea again. Nymph is getting out her rope-y thing that could just about pass for a net. Marlin is standing over me, rod-bag over his shoulder and inquisitive expression on his face. I groan and stand up, muttering curse-words under my breath, even though I know Marlin's right. If we don't fish in our free time, how are we supposed to survive? Even with the income from our parent's businesses', we are barely getting by. It's even harder for Nymph, who has to work hard all day at the fisheries to be able to buy fresh water, and then be unable to eat that day. In District 4 it is customary for people to have large families so your children can work and make more money, even if it makes keeping all your children alive is Nye on impossible. The poorer families tend to have more children; Nymph has 8 younger siblings, as well as an older sister who lives away from home now. I'm supposedly from a richer family, and I have two older sisters, a younger brother and 4 younger step-siblings, all of which are extremely irritating…

"Anyone there?" Whoa, I am sleepy today; it seems that I have drifted off again. Marlin's expression is changing rapidly from bemusement to concern. "You OK Aal?" he asks.

"Yeah" I say, yawning and stretching at the same time. "Didn't get too much sleep last night, my little sister spent all night crying, and I have to share the bed with her."

Marlin looks at me curiously, and cocks his head to the side slightly. I love it when he does that.

"She's 12" I inform him, and he nods knowingly. The youngest age of entering the Hunger Games. Reason enough for nightmare

"You two coming?" Nymph yells from the sea, her red hair blowing freely in the coastal breeze, dress now sitting on the beach next to Marlin.

I subconsciously run my hands through my hair, disappointed by it, as always. Mine is a dirty blonde, same colour as most in my district. Marlin's is a rich brown and Nymph's, well Nymph's is just amazing. Dark, red curls the colour of sunsets, like no-one in our sector of District 4, except maybe her brother, Poseidon.

Mine is shoulder length. It used to be longer, a lot longer, straight down my back until Marlin dared me to cut it all off and, well, the result was not after 5 years, I still haven't grown it all back, due to my father feeling I should still be punished for the aforementioned hair-cutting.

I reach down for my spear and pick it up. My step-mother gave it to me, as a peace-offering I think, not that there was any tension between us anyway. I got along with her better than my father. He re-married after my mother died giving birth to my little brother Raym. I don't even remember it, so it doesn't even make me feel sad anymore.

The spear, _my _spear is about the same height as me, almost 6 feet long, with a long oak shaft and a leather handle which has softened over time, and now is moulded to my hand. The spear-head is made of sharpened stone, but it could pass for iron at a distance. At the other end is a badly drilled hole, where a long strand of woven seaweed hangs, so I can retrieve the spear after throwing it. I still have no idea how much it cost my step-mother, but it has paid for itself ten-fold over the years.

I absent mindedly watch Marlin take something from off his shoulders and…

"Is that a _fishing rod_?" both Nymph and I ask at the same time. Fishing rods are rare in district 4, and only the rich actually own them, because of the cost of the components and the way that a rod catches fish better than both my precious spear and Nymph's put together.

Marlin looks sheepish before saying "Yeah, Kerri gave it to me. You know Kerri right?"

I do not dare myself to answer, I know Kerri like I know my spear. Kerri's the daughter of our local peacekeeper and spoilt to bits. Only _she _could 'give' a random (if attractive) boy a fishing rod. I roll my eyes (they get a lot of exercise these days) and dive into the water. Here it is quiet. I look about, my eyes used to the salt-water already. I see a small Minnow skulking near the sea-floor, it's blue-silver skin sticking out from the dull brown of the sea-floor. I swim up to the surface, raise my spear above my head and *WHAM*. I throw it hard and dive down to check, if I could laugh under-water, I would. The spear has missed the inch long Minnow and embedded in a large flounder, hidden at the bottom. I swim up grinning and show the fish to the other two.

"Howzat?" I ask them, still grinning.

"Nicely done" Marlin comments, now casting the bait into the sea. "Now, were you aiming for that or did you hit it by accident?"

"Are you doubting my word?" I ask him, pretending to be offended, before breaking out in a smile.

I glance out to the sea, too tired to do anything but sit next to Marlin on the beach. I see Nymph almost 20 metres out, net in hand, before she dives down and comes up empty handed, net now placed on the sea-floor. She starts to swim back, while I yawn and look up at the sky.

"Nearly midday" I tell him "We should start to get back, so I can sell this fish before the reaping".

He glances up at the sky and says, in a half-joking, half-serious way "I haven't had a chance to test this rod, thanks to your urge to sleep all the time."

* * *

><p>Nymph finally comes out of the sea some time later, and reaches for her dress and starts to pull it back on.<p>

"You really need to change" she informs me, and I look down. I am currently in a wet, muddy and blood covered top, with the same theme of disrepair continuing with my tracksuits. I groan inwardly, and put my spear back in its sheath and put the fish in my bag and make my way along the thin coastal path back to the main road.

* * *

><p>Our region of District 4 is the central one, so we don't have to walk far to get to the reaping area, so I have longer to look respectable. I see our house, the general store beneath it, and I take off my battered shoes and attempt to sneak in through the front door, if my step-mother sees me then…<p>

"Aalgae!" I wince slightly at the sound. My step-mother may be nice to me most of the time, but when it comes to how I look, or to be more precise, how I _don't _look, she becomes a fully-fledged monster.

Then again, I can be a stubborn arsehole a lot of the time, refusing to admit that I'm wrong even though everyone, _including _me realises I am. I can never admit when I'm wrong, and I'm wrong a lot of the time.

"What has happened to you? You look like you've already been _through _the Hunger Games. _Twice!_" I roll my eyes for the fourth time today and attempt to reply

"Meena, I could just wea…"

"No, Aalgae, you couldn't just wear clean clothes. You are wearing that dress, it cost me good money and I am not going to just let you go dressed as a tramp."

She goes over to the table and picks up a short, green dress.

"You are wearing this if I have to knock you unconscious" she threatens me, and sensing that this might not be a joke, I take the dress and carry it up to the room I share with my step-sister Movii, who I send scuttling out before changing into the dress. Once again, my reaping dress is too short, due to my (mostly) above average height.

Muttering dark things about District 8, I pull on the dress and brush my short hair. I then go downstairs to find the rest of the family already gathered there, the same sombre expression on each of their faces. I feel my face muscles contract, then realise my expression is mirroring theirs. My father has his hands protectively around Raym and Movii; Movii looks like she might faint, as this will be her first reaping year. Raym is 15 now, old enough to get by without the comfort of a parent's arms, but he stays there anyway. We stand there awkwardly for what seems like hours before Meena says

"Right, should we…" Father nods and we make eye contact for the first time in ages. She opens up the door and we all trudge out. As I walk along the District 4 main road with the inhabitants of most of our region, the fear hits me for the first time in a year. I block it out mentally as I see the Justice building leering above me…

**Hey people! So, how do you like it? I'll try and add another chapter next week when I get back from Holiday! If you have any ideas, PM me, and if you like it, review and favourite this story. There will be more! **


	2. The Reaped

**Yo people! What-up? Anyhoo, the delectable stories of the Hunger Games ain't mine folks! **

**The Reaped**

We arrive at the Justice hall at 1 o'clock, to find a whole hoard of nervous looking parents and children. The childless one's stand out from the crowd, the only ones who are moving freely through the crowd, unworried and, some even looking happy, just a day off work for them. I see the bitter looks of parents directed to these people, as though they were wishing they were safe from being hurt by the reaping. We split up, my parents going one way, towards the throng of people praying for someone else's child to be chosen to die. I find myself pushed towards the female side, and I do not push against the flow, knowing it will push me to where I need to go. I glance across the crowd and see my little brother standing in the middle, looking nervous but he seems to be coping apart from that. Further back I see Marlin in clothes a size too small, fiddling with a green bracelet around his left wrist. I content myself with gazing at Marlin for several minutes, to calm my nerves. Staring at Marlin always calms my nerves. As my heartbeat returns to normal, I feel a sharp poke to my side and turn (regretfully) away from Marlin to see Nymph following my gaze to Marlin.

"Marlin seems to be coping well enough" I say, trying (and failing) to cover up my Marlin-athon.

Nymph makes a sympathetic face and tells me "Why don't you just ask him out?"

I turn salmon pink and am about to reply when Kerri Bell pushes in-between Nymph and I. Saved by Bell.

"H-e-y Gae!" she says to me, in that irritating capitol accent. Peacekeepers come from the capitol, and Kerri seems to have picked up that stupid accent from her parents. I grind my teeth together and attempt not to think of a certain fishing rod.

"My name's not Gae, it's Aalgae, and secondly, only my step-mother calls me Aalgae. Call me Aal." I try to say this without that much viciousness, but Nymph gives me warning glare and so I attempt to change my own glare to a smile. This hurts a lot.

Kerri smiles stupidly and says "But Aal's soooooo boring. I'll call you Gae!"

I'm beginning to wonder whether she can hear the sound of my teeth grinding together when our silence is broken by Nymph saying awkwardly "So, how many times are you entered into the orb-of-doom this year Kerri?"

Most people around us already know how many slips of paper bear the name 'Nymph Odair', but Kerri laughs in her stupidly high-pitched voice and says "Silly Nym!" she shakes her blue-gold hair out of her eyes and continues "_I'm _from the capitol, I don't get entered. I just get to watch the fun!"

Several people around us have heard her, and I wonder for a second if she knows how many people in her vicinity want to punch her in the face. Refusing to acknowledge any signals given off. Kerri stays next to us and waffles on and on about how 'absolutely amazing' this year's Games will be. I'm beginning to wish Kerri _could _be entered into the Hunger Games so she would shut up for a minute or two when a loud gong sounds and Gaia Trunketti enters the stage, red hair sticking up like she forgot to brush it this morning. I snort with laughter and then, realising where I am, stop.

"Hello District 4!" She trills, in an accent almost as stupid as Kerri's "Are you ready for the 34th Hunger Games?"

She looks expectantly at the crowd, but silence falls in District 4. Unfortunately, this does not dismay her in the slightest and she just moves on, and starts to tell us what an honour it is to be here in the district with the third best winning rate. She neglects to mention how _psycho _our victors all are, either before or after the Games. I remember two years ago, someone at school got chosen, a boy called Tobi. He went crazy during the games after his ally from this district got killed in front of him. I think he stared to try to eat the people he killed, my mother stopped me watching. Before the games, he was actually pretty nice; I remember he asked Nymph out when they were 15. I think they might have gone out for a while actually.

Weirdly enough for someone my age, I don't really notice much about boyfriends, I have never had one and I can't remember Nymph's (to her dismay). I glance over at Marlin again and watch him straighten his clothes and look back to the stage where some Capitol propaganda is currently playing. I look up in time to see a girl smash another girl's face in with a large stone. I wince slightly and look back to Marlin's face (Hey! It's a nicer sight!) Maybe Nymph is right and I _should_ ask him out. I'm 17 now and 1 year away from when we're supposed to marry. Well, I say _supposed to _but we're more or less forced. At 18 we can't take out Tesserae anymore and if we don't marry before 19 we have to give a certain proportion of our income to the Capitol. By 'certain proportion' I mean or less all of it. If we can't find someone to marry then they'll find someone for us. And _that _is something I do not want, most of the boys my age are utter prats, I see them around Marlin, looking up at the screen showing murder and killing with an expression filled with greed and want. Marlin understands how wrong the games are.

I enjoy the rest of the video because of one fact. I spend the remainder of the video exploring Marlin's face with my eyes. My heartbeat is just returning to normal levels when I hear the sound of the Capitol theme and Marlin turns away from the screen and meets my storm-grey eyes with his dark brown ones. I hurriedly turn away from him and pretend to be watching the screen with the capitol screen on it. Gaia claps when the anthem finishes, along with the peacekeepers, Kerri and some of the 'teers from our district ('teers are what we call the ones who volunteer to be in the games, along with the name 'mentally insane'. I know that there are several boys who want to be in the games this year, but I'm not sure about the females.

"And now!" Gaia warbles "for the bit we've all been waiting for! The reaping! Let us get the reaping ball!"

Gaia waves one of her hands with long fingers and a peacekeeper carries the orb-of-doom out to the table in the middle. A wave of silence rushes over the crowd, either of fear and worry, or of excitement and anticipation of the fun to come. I see some of the 'teers preparing their hand to shoot into the air so they can be the one that can volunteer and be District 4's tribute. Gaia takes one claw like hand and extends it towards the orb

"Women first!" she declares and reaches down and plucks a small sliver of paper out of the orb-of-doom. A collective intake of breath follows this, as everyone wonders whose name is on the slip. Gaia unfurls it slowly, and then reads out the name written upon it.

Then my world becomes silent and still.

She says Aalgae Kiandra

My name is Aalgae Kiandra

Oh God. I don't want to die.

I don't want to die.

Oh God…

I hear Gaia clap, but that's about it. I begin to slowly walk towards the stage, someone will volunteer. Someone will, we're a career district! Someone _has _to volunteer. But no-one does. I have reached the stage, though how I manage it without falling to the ground I will never know. I glance over the audience and see faces full mostly of relief that it isn't their daughter. I look over at my family, Raym looks close to tears, while my sister Movii is already crying. I look over at my dad, and see him looking decidedly elsewhere, away from me. He puts an arm around Meena. Meena looks upset, but I still see some relief in her eyes that it wasn't her daughter, my sister, just me. I realise that this is the first time I have ever thought of Movii as my sister.

Funny that?

Nymph has a hand clasped over her mouth and seems to be holding back her breakfast, eyes looking pitying up at me and yet… I still see relief. Marlin is ashen-faced. But his expression has no relief on it.

Just sadness

Gaia has begun to talk about something again, about how privileged I must be, the chances I now have been offered! I can make district 4 proud. I must be so happy! Happy to be chosen out of the many. To be chosen to die in some Crap-filled arena. Gaia does not say the last bit. I'm still in shock as she calls for the male orb to be carried out and I try and slap myself back into reality, without actually slapping myself. I have to win. I have to. I'm no 'teer but I know how to survive, maybe I can win this. Maybe. I look over at the second slip of paper Gaia has withdrawn and I watch it unfurl, Gaia reads this quickly and announces - with no disguise of the glee in her voice – the name upon the paper.

"And our male tribute is… Poseidon Odair".

My stomach does a couple of flips and finishes with a barrel roll as Nymph's little brother steps out from the back. Luckily for me (and the first bit of luck _I've _had all day, a burly 18 year old with copper-coloured stubble volunteers, along with an attractive blond boy I know to be an illegal fisher and a third, shorter boy who looks to be around 14, but has darting eyes. Poseidon moves back to his place, looking thankful, while the mayor arranges for the secondary reaping where the 'teers get entered into a smaller orb-of-doom. As their names are entered in - I recognise none of them – a tall, long haired girl bursts into tears in the audience. Gaia trills some rubbish about being proud of having a volunteer, while she picks out the name and reads it out in her stupid voice.

"Kai Nieme" The short boy looks delighted and comes up to the stage, leading to a fresh round of tears from the blond girl. "So, I have great pleasure to announce, the tributes for District 4 in this year's Hunger Games!" We are then gestured into the Justice building where we will wait to see our families.

My father does not come with the rest of my family. Raym hugs me and tells me "You have to win. You can, you know you can" while Movii just cries. My other younger siblings don't seem that bothered, as they don't really understand what will happen. My two older sisters are also there, Javina is just ashen faced, but Yavina is in floods of tears. She always was the more emotional one. Meena stands there looking awkward as Raym tells me what I should do. When he has finished, we all stand still, just looking at each other before Meena says "Aalgae, I never…" but then stops.

I never find out what she was going to say.

They leave after farewells and hugs, but it seems … unsatisfactory. Rushed. Time seems to have sped up now. I hear the door open again and look up to see Marlin standing there, looking stricken. Nymph has not come to see me, but Marlin assures me that this is because she is too emotional to do anything except cry, and just wants to go home. I nod and pretend to understand but I don't. She was my best-friend.

She_ is_ my best-friend. And she won't come and see me before I die? _If _I die. Actually, who am I kidding? When is correct. _When _I lose, _When _I change, _When_ I die.

Marlin is here though, and that makes me happy, or at least, happier than I would be if I was alone right now. He bends down and takes something off his wrist.

"Listen" he tells me, fumbling with the green thing "Take this as your Token".

He hands it to me and I recognise it as the green bracelet he was wearing earlier. On closer inspection I see it to be made of many different types of woven seaweed, flowing together as though it is made from the sea itself. I hug him, and he goes on to tell me what I should do, like Marlin.

"You could just pretend you're a 'teer" he tells me quickly, as we only have minutes left "and you can fish, and your aim is good with most things, you _can_ win this Aal, I _know_ you can."

I have a desire to tell him how I feel about him now, and get as far as opening my mouth when I stop myself and pass it off as a yawn. It would hurt him more if I died as a lover instead of a friend. I have a sudden image of Marlin and Nymph marrying, but I push that image away.

"I'll try Marlin" I tell him.

"And try to be yourself, I know the Capitol doesn't really like it, but you can't lose yourself to _them. _Don't give them the satisfaction of bending over to their rules. Stay yourself." He tells me

Something tells me that if I try, I'll probably end up changing, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to do both of them. I'm also not sure which one I would lose, my life or my soul?

We hug before he leaves, and the peacekeepers tell me to move out of the building and towards a waiting train. I get on and sit down on a chair near the door and watch the boy, Kai, pass by me as though I am invisible. I may have to kill him in a week or two. Mutely, I leave him and Gaia, and find my way to my carriage in the train and I plonk myself down on a bed. The train has started to move, but I stay where I am. A single, stricken sob escapes from my mouth, and I realise I have not cried all day. _Well that can't be right _I think to myself, before I lie down on the bed and cry until I go to sleep…

**How you like? I'm no mind reader, so If you go and click 'Review' then you may tell me what you think should happen, and comment.**


	3. The Entrant

**The idea of the Hunger Games is not mine; otherwise Finnick would be alive and married to me. Now that's over, chapter 3 is starting…**

**The Entrant**

It is dark when I awaken. I wake up to find myself curled up in a ball on a comfy bed. So not my real one then. My heart sinks when I remember where I am, and why, but no more tears come. I think I may have no more water left to cry. The sheet I am lying on is slightly crusty with tears, but I still stare at it in amazement, it is a light blue, the colour of the ocean on a clear, summer's day. I can almost picture the fisher boats sailing across the sheet's folds. I content myself with staring at the sheet, hoping that if I stare hard enough, I will be transported back to District 4.

I do not know how long I do this for, either a minute, an hour or several hours, but after some time I realise that I cannot remain here forever, and I must leave here at some point. Groaning somewhat, I make myself sit up and look around the room. I did not have any chance to observe it earlier on, as I seemed to be in some kind of stupor.

Now I am awake, I see that the Capitol lavish us dead-to-be with the finest. A navy blue chandelier bedazzled with white specks twinkles light down upon me, illuminating a blue-green carpet and mahogany furniture. The only thing that disappoints me is the fact that everything seems to be _blue. _The Capitol has no imagination. Could be worse though, District 12's coal so their stuff will be in black. Or grey.

I make myself get out of the comfy bed, and I move towards the door, which is in another shade of blue (this one sicklier than the others). I open it and walk down the train to the other end of the carriage. The lights are all off, but I prefer it this way, alone. I continue to explore, passing the room which I _think _contains a sleeping Kai (it has a small pile of small clothes lying outside, and I can't think of any other midgets on this train. I smirk to myself as I pass that carriage, but my smirk leaves my face as I reach a door with the word 'Mentor' written across the top in silvery-blue writing (the blue thing is really starting to get on my nerves).

We in District 4 are 'lucky'. We have had many victors over the years, and so the pool of potential mentors is actually rather large. We have had 8 victors over the last 33 games, so the Capitol came up with some sort of 'reaping' system to choose which one will mentor. Somehow, we always end up with the same woman, Lyna. Lyna won during the 19th Hunger Games at the age of 18. She was a 'teer and a ruthless one too, she won by pretending to be a nice, pleasant person and then brutally killed all 6 of her Allies while they slept, before she hunted down her fellow tribute from District 4 and then beheaded him. So, all in all, nice person. She keeps being one of the two mentors and I blame her for all the evil tributes we get in the arena. This year, our other mentor is the winner from the 31st Hunger Games, Hydrao, who won using less malevolent techniques (he ended up out surviving the others in a desert-like arena. We District 4ers are rationed on water and get a lot less water then we need.) I note that I would like to survive until the beginning of the Hunger Games and sneak quietly past this door, along with the other 'Mentor' door further along. I hope to stay with my head thank you very much. Or at least, until the games begin…

* * *

><p>I reach the end of the train, or at least, the furthest I can go. This is the carriage where I entered, and I fully appreciate the splendour now. It is full to the brim of tasty foods, which I make note of so I can stuff myself with when I return in the morning. The floor is in a mixture of yellow and blue here, along with the walls and the ceiling. There is a photo of the President on the other side of the carriage, looking stupid as usual. The Capitol is proving itself to be exceptionally tacky. I stand by one of the walls and lean my forehead against it, its cool surface calming me. Only now do I realise how fast my heart was beating. I look out of the window and see the scenery flashing by, but as I search for a flash of blue in the horizon, it hits me that we have left the sea. I've never lived somewhere where I couldn't see the sea. I never realised how much it meant for me until now. I leave the window and sink into one of the blue chairs. I grab a long, bent yellow fruit from the bowl nearest me. I did not realise how I hungry I was until now. The lunch I shared with Marlin and Nymph seems like years ago. I sink my teeth into the fruit before spitting it out almost at once. It has an odd texture, slimy on the inside, with a rough, tasteless outer covering.<p>

"And people eat this of their own accord in the Capitol?" I exclaim in amazement.

I eat the rest, hoping the taste improves over time. It doesn't. Grimacing slightly, I pick another fruit, one I recognise this time, even if I've only seen it once before it my life.

"An Orange" I tell myself, as if by saying its name out loud, I make my memories of it more real.

My first and only experience of an orange when I was 13 years old, 11 years after my mother died. My eldest sister, Yavina was 18 and was about to marry Dylan, a merchant son living near us. It's tradition in District 4 for the family of the groom to give something worth half their wealth to the family of the bride, sort of like payment for the bride. In our section, we call it the 'Emit Gift' though I know the name is different around the district and I don't even _know_ if they do it in the other districts in Panem. Anyway, Dylan came over and gave us a small box, wrapped in the traditional blue paper with green ribbon. My other sister Javina got to open it as she's the second eldest in our family. She carefully peeled away the paper and presented us with a small, round, coarse, orange sphere. Behind me, I heard Meena and my father gasp, though I was still nonplussed. What could be so important about this small thing I could conceal in one hand? My father took it out of Javina's hand and placed it on the table.

"What is it dad" Movii asked, only 8 years old and still as talkative as a jabberjay.

"This" my father said "is an Orange. It's a type of food, but not one commonly grown in Panem. This fruit costs more than I earn in a year"

I looked at the fruit. It didn't look that appetising to me, and I think they could have been a bit more creative with the name. Orange? Might as well change the word fish to 'silver'. My father cut it into the orange thing and a Salmon coloured liquid seeped out, staining the table into the off-white colour it is today. He carefully sliced the fruit into 8 equal slices (though Movii still _insists _her slice was smaller). My youngest step-sibling, Selkie wasn't born so we each got a whole eighth to ourself. I looked around at my family sucking on their slices and did the same. My mouth seemed to explode. Used to bland fish, and the occasional loaf of bread, the acidic tang of the orange was stronger than anything else I have ever tasted. The tart-sweet juices were dribbling down my chin, making me look like an idiot, but I kept squeezing it until it was sucked dry. It wasn't too appetising after that, but I ate it all obediently, leaving nothing left, not even the rind. (Which tasted suspiciously like the yellow fruit I ate earlier).

I look at the orange in my hand. What is this place where you can get fruit like this on demand? I help myself to several, eating them in different ways, some I bite into, like you would a loaf of bread some I suck and on some I peel off the hard outer shell, a process harder than it looks, but it is worth it. Never before have I not finished a food entirely, in District 4 it is seen as waste, so all is eaten, even the fish bones are given to the animals. I put the rind in the tin bin on the other side of the carriage and sit down on the chair again, suddenly full of energy. I'm not sure if it's the 10 oranges I have eaten, or me realising I may be dead in 2 weeks, but I accept the energy and start to practice my aim. If I am to win these games, I have to practice, and I can't reveal my skills to everyone so I'll have no chance to practice in the training centre. I pick up the grapes from the fruit bowl and amuse myself by trying to hit the photo of President Resch in the nose, and award myself with another orange for every hit I get.

I continue with this for some time, and the beginning of sunrise is showing through the window of the train. I run out of oranges around sunrise and grapes a couple of minutes after that. I feel a sense of self-smugness at the pile of grapes now littering the bottom of our _dear _president's photo. I should really pick them up, but I can't bring myself to. Instead, I grab the knife I used to cut the oranges and an apple and chuck the apple high into the air, my aim to catch it on the blade of the knife.

"Nice throw"

I jerk around to see where the voice came from and in the process, the apple slams into the top of my head, bounces up and lands on the blade of the knife, slicing it clean in two.

Kai Nieme is standing behind me, smirking with his arms folded looking at me with a mixture of intense smugness and alarm, though the alarm is hidden well by the smugness. In fact, his whole _existence_ seems to exude arrogance. He's shorter than me, about 5"5 or 5"6, he has long-ish copper-coloured hair that seems to bristle with the pride of being a 'teer. He sits down opposite me and picks up the apple half, and raises it to me as though toasting me. He then sinks his teeth into it and inspects me like a shark would watch small prey. He finishes and says

"We missed you yesterday, where were you? _I _thought you'd gone to blubber in your room, but now you don't seem the type"

I turn red as perch's fins and I hope he can't see me in the dark. He cocks his head in an inquiring manner.

"Were you _practicing _in your room all night?" he says, seeming as amazed as his smugness will allow. "Didn't take you for a volunteer, though you are the right age…"

When I don't respond, he cocks his head to the side again "How old are you, 18?" he asks.

"I'm 17," I tell him, not entirely sure why I am talking to him. "How old are you? You look about 14 in my opinion!"

He glares at me; his pride hurt, but regains his composure almost instantaneously. "I'm 18, and I've been waiting to be in the Hunger Games all my life."

He picks up the other apple slice and begins to chew that too "I didn't get picked last year, _or _the year before, but this year I'm going to win it, I can feel it."

I stay quiet, and he sends another smirk and tells me "what d'you think of the games last year, our tribute was crap, did you see him wimp out in the bloodbath?"

I seem to be accepted as nothing more than a 'teer by Kai, but I still don't know if I want to be one. True, as a 'teer you get more food and things like that, but the bonds are weak, and I know Kai would have no hesitation snapping my neck when push comes to shove. I make some idle chit-chat with Kai while the sun rises higher in the sky, lying occasionally about my view on the game until he makes some reference to the president and looks over at his picture, noticing the pile of green fruit on the floor.

"What were you doing?" he asks scornfully while I pray he cannot see the green slime on President Resch's nose.

"I was… I was seeing how far I could throw them" I tell him, improvising wildly.

He gives me another scornful look "not very strong are you then?" he says critically, "then again, the tributes this year are crap, did you see the reaping?"

I tell him no, and he leads me to the TV screen near the window and we start to watch the Hunger Games' reaping together. He is still keeps looking at me, sizing me up as either competition or an ally.

* * *

><p>District 1 and 2 both seem the same, 2 large, brutish males with the same crew-cut, whose names are Loki and Camulos, but they seem to merge into the same person, both with the same greedy expression on their faces when they are selected to go through. The females are different, Copia, from District 1 reminds me of one of those sirens from our mythology, drawing in the men to their doom, I make note not to join the careers if <em>she's <em>in with them, as she would easily entice the men to do her bidding. I, on the other hand, possess no womanly ways and would be dead from the beginning. Still, it can't hurt to hang around the 'teers until the games start, to pick up the tips or information.

The girl from district 2, however, looks 15, and scared. I recognise her from the games two years ago, her twin sister won when she was 12, setting some kind of record I bet. District 3 passes by, leaving no impression on me, and I label them ''teer fodder'. I look away from my own reaping, as I have no wish to find out how weak I look on camera, I tell Kai I'm going to get some more fruit. I return back in time to see the bored looking announcer from District 6 (Looking irritated that he one of the crap district) announce the imminent death of a boy and girl, aged 15 and 14 respectively.

Only the girl from district 7 leaves a lasting impression on me, short and slender, with long, pale hair, she could be a ghost for all I know. She looks younger than me, but not by much. District 8 has more 'teer fodder and before I know it, we are at District 9, where both the son and daughter of the mayor get reaped, to the parent's dismay. District 10 leaves no impression on me, but District 11 is a different matter, a huge, hulking girl with curly black hair volunteers instead of a younger girl, who looks almost in tears.

Actually, scratch that, she's just burst into tears of happiness and fear.

Why would someone from an outlying District volunteer? I thought the people here were mad enough! I never thought those in 11 were mad too.

The boy looks nervously up at her, but manages to hold himself against her. And already, we are at the final district, where two similar looking people come up to the stage, a nervous looking girl and a tall, handsome man who looks way older than 18. Kai turns off the TV. "So that's the competition, what do you think?"

I shrug, but realising that this will probably not be enough I say "Dunno, district 11 looks good, along with the boy from 12. Also, the one from 7, the girl."

Kai looks at me disparagingly "The girl from 7, I could _sit _on her and kill her! She'll be dead within the first hour!"

I make another mental note to not, not, _not_ join the 'teers before decideding to argue back

"Well strength isn't everything, that girl a few years ago, who just hid the entire games until everyone had forgotten about her? Well she won because the 'teers all killed each other."

Kai looks at me as though I've said a horrendous swear word, and I realise that the issue of 'teer on 'teer violence is a taboo, I steer the conversation away from this, and we chat about meaningless nonsense. He yawns and stretches out on his chair, and dozes off to sleep, even though it must be at least 8 in the morning now. It's only now, as I see him with his head lolling to one side, that I realise that he now seems to trust me enough to sleep near me, even if he knows my so-called 'skill' with a knife. It's only now when I realise I've been given a ticket to enter the 'teers, and I must decide whether to use it or not…

**You like? You love? Then review! Or, even better, PM me with ideas, or if you want to be one of the other tributes, either one mentioned or one not! Ideas are free! And I want them!**


	4. The Antagoniser

**I am not Suzanne Collins. Seriously, however brilliant my stories are (and they are **_**brilliant **_**:P) they are not the real Hunger Games.**

**The Antagoniser(Yes, I know that's spelt wrong. It's **_**supposed**_** to be) Ok, well it isn't, but I spelt it wrong now, and I refuse to change it now. What do you mean it would be easier to change it now than to write out a long-winded reason for why I shouldn't change it. Well... YOU'RE JUST WRONG! **

**I'm not stubborn, everyone else is just wrong. My motto, and the truth. Suck it losers!**

**Author away!**

The rest of the day is as interesting, or at least, that is what I would call it if I wasn't in danger of being bludgeoned to death in the next few weeks. First off, I get to traumatise Gaia, after she came in at around 8, Red Hair in stupid little curlers with her make-up off, I personally though she looked nicer without the stuff on her face but she did not agree. How do I know this? Well, when she saw us looking at her, she gave one little shriek of terror and ran out, practically in tears. Kai snorted and I felt laughter coming on myself, but held it back, given the danger of head-bludgeoning I have already mentioned. She did not return for several hours, and when she did, we were already getting started on breakfast, alone (our mentors had neglected to make an appearance yet.) She was out of her curlers, hair to its 'natural' upright position and make up was caking up her face once more, making her look even more stupid than usual. I gave a little smirk at her appearance and looked away from her, back to my milk. Kai kept trying to catch my eye, and when he finally did, he gestured at Gaia (who was currently facing away from us, getting bread) and held his copper hair over his head, and began to mime Gaia. It was a very good (if slightly cruel) interpretation which led to me snorting milk out of my nose all over Kai's face. He did no more interpretations, due to the white liquid in his hair, but he was already starting to laugh. This caused Gaia to spin around and berate me for my 'bad manners', I began to laugh to and soon an irate Gaia stormed out the room, leaving us to laugh.

I don't even remember why I am here.

This is not enough to stop me laughing, but the thought does bring me back down to earth with a slight bump. I am laughing with someone who has the power, means and opportunity to kill me. But the laughing seems to free me somewhat, and for a moment, I could be back by the sea in District 4, laughing with Marlin and Nymph. Unfortunately, this illusion vanishes the second Gaia returns, no longer alone. Hydrao is standing tensely behind Gaia, eyes flickering between our faces and the behemoth of a women now standing in front of us.

I suddenly realise that I am no longer laughing.

Lyna seems bigger than I'd thought, even though I have seen her many times before both on the screen and around District 4 (she lives near us). I become quiet, as she seems grow before my eyes. Lyna is quiet, and she doesn't actually seem to be too angry, though she gives me a look of disgust before sitting down. Feeling my life is safe for now, I reach for another orange (the bowl has been restocked by one of the servants.) and begin to cut it open, before sucking out the succulent juices.

Lyna grabs the bread out of Gaia's hand (much to Gaia's indignation) and begins to talk to us."We'll be arriving in the Capitol in an hour or two, so I thought I'd talk to you now rather than later." She rips the bread in two and swallows the first half whole. "Kai, I've trained with you for over 10 years now, and I know your style"

Kai gives a nod (and gives me a quick look, to check if I'm impressed or not). I'm not really, but I give him a (fake) look of approval. It'll be good practice for when I need to do it in the interview and...

My mind doesn't want to say the word right now, to admit where I am going might just make me see my breakfast again.

Lyna then turns her face to me "you I've not seen in the training school, and I seriously doubt you wanted to come here." She gives me a little smirk, mirroring Kai's "and so I hope you won't mind if I focus my attention on someone who might be alive in two weeks."

My breathing rate begins to increase, and I can feel the blood pumping in my ears.

I ignore this though, and reply "I do mind actually".

This causes my pulse rate to spike dramatically, more in fear than anger this time.

Lyna turns to me, and says coolly "Well tough luck, Hydrao will be your mentor as you share similar tendencies."

She then proceeds to turn away from me, to look at Kai "Kai, we'll discuss strategies elsewhere".

Kai looks confused, and replies "Me and Aalgae, we're Allies now, we've already decided."

His voice has taken on the whininess that I attribute to Movii when she wants something from Meena. Lyna remains cool and collected (it's hard to imagine her even _pretending_ to be a pleasant person) and tells Kai

"Whatever you have decided, I feel it's in both of your interests that you train separately. What is the girl has some hidden talent?" She gives me a look that tells me that she severely doubts this, and then leads Kai out the room, though he still looks confused. They leave the carriage, probably going to her room further on.

I am left with Hydrao, trying to stop myself hitting something.

"So." Hydrao says uncertainly. Poor sod, he only looks a year older than me, must be his first time at mentoring. "So." He repeats again, obviously hoping I'll say something.

I am determined not to make it easy for him, either because I feel this will spite Lyna for some reason, or (more likely) I am angry and want someone else to hurt for it. I am cruel like this. Hydrao returns to silence and we sit like that for some time, while I smoulder indignantly at the unjustness of it all. All of it. 5 minutes later, Hydrao tries again, this time with more vigour.

"Do you want to be alive in a month?" I look up from my dark thoughts about Lyna to see Hydrao standing up, out of his chair and begin pacing up and down along the blue carpet. I do not answer, more out of surprise then anything.

He continues anyway "I've been through the games, I didn't want to enter them. Did you know that? I almost died on more than one occasion, I had to kill people I may have liked, you'll have to do the same soon and all you care about is having a _sulk?_"

He turns to me and I open my mouth to retaliate but he doesn't give me time to speak.

"I can give you advice, I can tell you how to survive if you let me. So, will you let me?" He is now looking as angry as I felt a few minutes ago, but my anger has left me now. He accepts my silence as accepting his help as he stops pacing, and asks me

"So tell me, what will you when the gong goes off? Will you run to the Cornucopia?" I feel embarrassed answering now but I mutter "Depends. If there's a spear or something."

Hydrao nods, and resumes his pacing "Good, good, you can use a weapon then. Of course, you're a spear fisher, aren't you?" He doesn't seem to expect me to answer and so paces on. "Even so, you should _not _enter the fray at the Cornucopia, most people die there. It's a lure, one which works every year. Can you make your own spear?"

He suddenly turns to me, and I realise he wants me to answer this question.

"Yes…" I say apprehensively, "but I need a knife at least, and some time."

He nods and increases his pacing. I am beginning to wonder whether he is entirely sane when he stops, and sits down opposite me. "You didn't volunteer for this, so I'm wondering whether the trained tributes will accept you or not. If you prove yourself good with weaponry, then you may get in."

He says this a lot slower than anything else he has said so far.

"Kai thinks I'm a 'tee… I mean a trained tribute, he thinks I just got picked early." He told me that last night, and I felt no need to correct him. "Anyway, I don't want to be part of the trained group. They all kill each other before the end."

Hydrao doesn't even turn to look at me "But at the beginning, they are strong, they don't die of starvation or thirst, everyone knows that. You could just leave afterwards, before the fighting starts!"

He does not seem to understand, if I left, they would hunt me down like an animal for betraying my 'own kind'. I would rather die a peaceful death by starvation, then at the hands of one of the 'teer boys. My end would _not _be quick by their hands. I try to tell Hydrao this but he shoots down my retaliations, telling me again and again, that I need to go with them.

Exasperated, I tell him "You didn't! I saw your games. You went on your own so why can't I?"

He ignores this comment of mine, leaving me more exasperated and angry than ever. Will no-one listen to me? Am I just a player in one of these games? One of those tributes who goes into the games with no-one knowing their name? I may be a 'teer (in the mind of the audience) but district 4 is one of the weaker ones, with less wins than district 1 or 2. I also look entirely unimpressive. I do not look sexy and seductive like the girl from district 1. I do not even look strong, like the girl from district 11. One of the worst things to do in this game is to be forgotten. When forgotten, no-one will sponsor you, unless you manage to survive until the final 5 or something, but usually by that time, it's too late. I need an angle, and I try to interrupt Hydrao again, who's now ranting on about how to cross a river – as if I'll ever need to know that. District 4? Swimming? – but he ignores me and keep talking about stones and moss and stuff like that. I sigh and wish I had a better mentor. Hydrao may be less intimidating than Lyna, but he won't shut up and let me talk!

Hydrao has been raving for some time (with me nodding occasionally, but generally ignoring him) when he suddenly stops. I look up from my stupor, and find him looking at me expectantly.

"What?" I ask him, non-pluses. "What do you mean, _what?_" He asks me, incredulously, "I just ask you the most important question in your life, one which may even _save _your life, and you say 'What?'?" He finally sits down and stops his pacing, looking at me in impatience. "Have you even been listening to me?" He asks me, irritation rising in his voice. With all that's happened today, it's all I can do not to slap him across the face.

Restraining myself, I answer calmly. "No."

"Well good, because all that I've told you will come in very… Hang on. _No?_" He stops, mid-flow, incredulity in his voice this time - He has displayed more emotion in the last few hours than I think Lyna has ever shown in her entire lifetime. Nervousness, Anger, Irritation, and now Incredulity. He should be a bloody actor –

"No." I tell him, my voice filling back up with the anger that left me while I dozed listening to Hydrao's stupid solo-speech. I have always had a short temper, and normally regret letting myself go, but right now, on this train waiting to be slaughtered, I don't care…

"No." I say again in a shriller, and louder voice. "_No. _I will not listen to your _stupid _little talk on what _you _want _me _to do, when you won't even listen! I try to suggest things and you just _blather_ on! You don't even care. It's not my fault your fellow mentor hates you even more than I do!"

And with that, I storm out the room, leaving nothing behind except a bewildered looking Hydrao, and a pile of orange skins. I fly back up the carriage, muttering swear-words under my breath, not even stopping to mock Gaia, who is leaving Lyna's carriage and going back to the main carriage. I'm almost at my door when I feel the floor sink slightly below my feet, and get the feeling I've just walked on land for the first time for ages, as if on a long sea journey. I suddenly recognise that if this is a hover-train, then it must be floating something, like a boat. I look out the window and gasp, a large city, full of high, glistening buildings looms above me, below me is a floor of pure white, where the train has come to the stop. Around me, people dressed like peacocks flap about, and I realise that I have arrived at the Capitol…

**This story is experiencing a massive reviewing crisis. More than 42 visitors are affected, with over 5 reviewers left feeling elated and 4 reviewers dead or seriously injured. This is on an unprecedented scale compared to other stories. If this goes on for much longer, this writer will feel unhappy and unappreciated. But there is something you can do to help! By just clicking the review button, for as little as £0 and taking only 20 seconds or less, you can make an author happy! And remember, happier authors mean better stories. **

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	5. The Decorated: Arrival

**As I am British and 15 years old, it may not surprise you that I am **_**not **_**Suzanne Collins.**

**The Decorated**

We are taken us straight from the station to the remake centre, though there isn't much 'taking' about it. It is around a 10 second walk from the train to the doors of the centre. But what a ten seconds it is. I stood by the doors for what seemed like hours, until Lyna shoved me in the back, and opened the door. The train station is gleaming white, looking _way _too clean. I glance about as Lyna pushes me unceremoniously onto the platform, I stumble, and stand up, fuming that I have been shown as weak this early on in the process, and by one of my _mentors._ I pick myself up, but do not retaliate, knowing I will look foolish either way. And as I have said before, I would like to keep my head intact over the next day or two. Preferably longer, but that _may _be pushing my luck. Kai and I are escorted towards a tall building with big, brown doors, each one wider than my house. The doors open, revealing a large, spacious white corridor, with 25 doors, 12 on each side and one at the end. The corridor is empty, which surprises me; I was expecting the stylists to surround me the second I got in! Hydrao points me towards the 4th door on the left, which has the words 'District 4, Female' emblazoned upon it in a sea blue. Kai goes to the door opposite mine, which is exactly the same, but with the word 'male' instead of 'female'.

I enter my remake room and my imagery of stylists surrounding me comes to life. There are three of them, all dressed in – what I assume is – typical Capitol attire. They show me towards the bed and begin the arduous process of relieving me of my bodily hair. This hurts. A lot. I ignore the pain though, as I know worse awaits me in the arena. They engage me in some small talk, and I learn their names. The tall one with bright green, curly hair introduces herself as Tullia, while the shorter one, with the same hair is Lucia. The other one is mid-height, with plainer hair, is called Aquila, and I entertain myself while I am parted from my hair by trying to guess whether he/she/it is female or not. Aquila has long-ish hair – longer than mine, anyway – but has a low voice, low enough to be male, but not too low to be female.

They finally finish plucking me, and move on to scrubbing me with various bodily lotions, one of which smells suspiciously of clams. I try and keep my nose away from that one, as I really, _really _don't like clams. They're full of bacteria, and we're always being told _never _to eat them at home in District 4, just because they're so dangerous. I know someone who knows someone who ate one and died 43 minutes later, in a pool of his own vomit.

* * *

><p>Once the general body stuff has been completed, they go off to find my stylist. I sit there, awkwardly, wishing with all my might that our normal stylist has been killed, so I can get one which is half sane. My wishes are not answered. Junia Ketta walks in, in what seems to be a dressing gown. She has her normal look, which is normal by no-one's measure. Her skin is dyed a vibrant orange, with small flecks of green and yellow which makes her look surprisingly like a pile of moving vomit. I think back to the story of the boy who died in a pool of his own vomit after eating the clams, and I wonder whether Junia has eaten clams recently. I stifle a laugh.<p>

I do not tell her this, though when she looks at my short hair and tells me I look like wildcat, it tests me.

I stay quiet as she walks round me, making critical comments about everything from my lack of make-up (because _sure, _I should let my family starve so I can smear skin-coloured _crap _on my face) to my fingernails.

"Those nails are _way _too long!" She tells me in her stupid, ugly, stupid voice "You should cut them immediately, how do you expect the boys to like you if you have claws!"

I can feel my temper rising, my blood pumping stronger and faster than I have ever felt it before. I always thought anger would feel painful, but this just makes me feel drunk, giddy with power. I could do anything. I have the urge to punch Junia, but decide against it.

I'm not sure if they've ever killed a tribute before the Games started, but I really don't want to find out now.

One thing I have learnt from being mildly peeved in the past is that I become incredibly childish, calling things ugly and smelly all the time. I'm not even that sarcastic when I'm angry, and I consider that my best attribute. My sarcasm is all that keeps me sane sometimes. Some sarcasm would help now, but it leaves me when I'm angry.

She laughs at her stupid joke. I smile demurely at this, because the alternative is punching her in her puke-covered face. She tuts a bit more before continuing to circle and make negative comments. I sigh and let her do this, though my blood is boiling, from the train journey, being pushed and this obnoxious woman currently in the process of judging me. She examines my face closely, and I note that she smells of puke as well.

"You really need to take more care of yourself" she tells me sadly, with her ugly, stupid, pukey, smelly, stupid, ugly, _vomit _face right in front of mine. "Those spots make you look hideous!"

That _does it_. I tell her' to kindly get her stupid little ugly face out of mine, and to wash, as she smells of a mixture of crap, vomit and rotten fish.' I also tell her that her skin makes her look like living sick, and the little green bits remind me of the phlegm that build up at the back of my throat.' Breathing very heavily, I stare into her eyes. She looks about ready to cry, which gives me some sort of savage pleasure. She then turns around and moves over the white bag she had brought down with her, and picks up a pile of towels. Why she has towels is a mystery to me. She then unfurls the towels and I realise with horror that it is my outfit. "You want _me _to wear that?" I exclaim in revulsion. She gives me a satisfied smirk and tells me to put it on.

* * *

><p>"You look… interesting"<p>

I glare a Kai, who's currently dressed in what looks like a blue overall, but with a half see-through green bits which display the more 'interesting' parts of Kai. His hair is decked with little bits of seaweed and I think I see a starfish too. My outfit is a _lot _less flattering. We are currently waiting to leave for the chariots, though we won't actually leave for ages, as we have to wait for some of the districts further away to arrive. "What did you do to piss of your stylist" he tries again, looking amused at my outfit. For the hundredth time.

"I told her she looked like a pile of sick that grew legs" I tell him, and he looks at me with a mixture of smugness and impressedness. I exaggerated slightly there, but the important parts remain the same as I tell him what occurred in the styling room. He keeps glancing at my outfit so I say "Stop that"

He rolls his eyes "Stop what?"

This irritates me even more "Stop looking at my stupid outfit!"

He smirks again "Not my fault you look so _brilliant _in it." That aggravates me further as I know his sarcasm is well placed. I am dressed as a towel. Seriously. I though tributes had to match with each other! According to Hydrao, I was supposed to be dressed similar to Kai, and this was a prototype.

"You must have really annoyed her" he told me "you look _awful." _This improves my self-esteem greatly. My outfit is made of two towels stuck together at the edges, making me look like I've just come out of the shower, my hair is messy too, though Junia _promised _me I looked wonderful. The towels aren't even shapely! I'd get more sponsors wearing a sack! What do towels have to do with fishing anyway? I'm still fuming when Lyna comes over and gives the first sign of emotion I have ever seen, though unfortunately, it is at my expense. She gives a snort of derisive laughter and tells me I look like I fell in a rubbish bin and came out wearing the bag. Angry again, I stalk off to find Lucia or one of my less revenge-bent stylists. I probably shouldn't have said the vomit-comment to Junia, but she was being damn irritating. I find Aquila and Lucia in my styling room, simpering over some clothes or something. They look up at me and burst out laughing.

"It's. Not. FUNNY!" I yell in frustration, and they stop laughing, though they giggle occasionally.

"Please." I tell them "Please, fix this, I look stupid." Lucia goes and gets some pins out of a box in the corner and begins to pull the towel-sack tighter around my waist. I know I have curves, but this sack does a good job hiding them. With Lucia and Aquila's help, I manage to look somewhat attractive, though all the pins have run out. The towels now look more like a fluffy dress.

"Aquila angel, could you go and get some seaweed out of the draw." Aquila reaches for the cupboard nearest him/her but Lucia interrupts him "No, the thicker type".

S/he goes to the other side of the room, and Lucia says to me (in a stage whisper) "He's a bit slow sometimes, but we still love each other."

So that settles the mystery of Aquila's gender. But raises other issues about his sanity. He like his women green? I can't deny that Lucia isn't a nice person, she has just saved me from looking terrible in the chariot rides (now I just look forgettable). Aquila passes over the seaweed – though it looks more like a green rope to me – and Lucia ties it around my head like an Alice Band. She smiles and says "Now you look almost presentable!" She laughs and I feel my friendliness with her slowly begin to evaporate. _Deep calming breaths Aal, _I tell myself. I am never normally this hot-tempered. I think it must be shock from being reaped slowly beginning to surface. I bet I do something stupid today. That's just the sort of awful day I'm having.

**Sorry. Short, short chapter this week :( It will be longer next time, but the more reviews I get, the longer the next chapter will be! So, REVIEW!**


	6. The Bloodied: Opening Ceremonies

**I own the Hunger Games. Seriously. Suzanne Collins has decided to write fanfiction with grammatical errors. It's so obvious now! Sarcasm aside, now for the 6****th**** Chapter! I had a dream about this one, and the main event, and have incorporated it into the story! Hope you like it!**

**The Bloodied**

My day just keeps getting better and better. Right now I'm waiting, extremely bored, for the rest of the tributes to arrive. District 4 is one of the closer districts, and so now I have to spend more of my time waiting. I've already waited for 3 hours and still, only 54.17% of the tributes have arrived. Yes, I actually listened to maths in school, instead of spending my time drooling over Willo Grinth in the year above (A certainboy Nymph had a crush on). The tributes from 1 to 6 are here, as well as the son of the mayor from District 9, who is waiting nervously for his sister to arrive from the remake centre. He looks _awful_. Though I really can't talk, seeing as I'm wearing a towel. He's dressed as a piece of wheat, his blond hair has been styled vertically up, and his skin seems to have been dyed a pale yellow, making him look even more sickly and nervous than normal. I feel so sorry for him. He's the son of a mayor, he's probably never had the chance to learn any skills which would help him survive. He probably though he didn't need any too, as well as his sister. Mayor's children never normally get reaped, which makes me feel suspicious, did the mayor do something to upset the Capitol? While I'm musing all this, I realise that I have been staring at the boy, who has also noticed this. I give him a little wave and he jumps slightly, almost falling out the chariot! Surprised I look away, all I did was smile and wave! It's not like I threw a knife at him! Even if I had, I'd probably have missed him anyway. It dawns on me why the boy jumped; I'm tall, from a 'teer district _and _I was staring at him moodily, though I think he may have mistaken my boredom for hatred. This furthers my resolve _not _to join the 'teers. I don't want all the other tributes to hate me. _Why though, _the small, logical part of my brain asks _why? You're going to have to kill them, so why can't they hate you? _I ignore my brain's logic and stare around the room. Waiting.

"Bored?" Kai asks me, smirk on his face as usual.

I adopt what I think is a dignified expression, until the girl in the chariot next to me, the one from District 1 laughs at me. "You look like you've swallowed a lemon. Whole".

I scowl in her general direction, and she brushes her golden hair over her shoulder, out of her eyes. _She _obviously didn't insult _her _stylist. She's wearing this headdress thing which has strings of gold orbs falling off it, mixing with her sheen of perfectly straight, golden hair. I'd say the stylist dyed it if I hadn't seen it yesterday, at the reaping.

"Yeah" I tell her, in an offhand manner. "What is a lemon anyway?" I add.

The girl snorts "Like an Orange, or do you not know what _that _is either?" This comment creates a vivid image of the yellow fruit I ate on the train here. I decide not to spread that piece of information with the girl.

"I know what Oranges are" I tell her "In fact, they're my favourite, and I've probably eaten _way _more than you" This may be childish, but it is probably true. Sort of. I ate what seemed like 100 on the way here. She laughs again and the boy next to her in the chariot smiles in a way that sends shivers down my spine.

"Now, now girls, don't fight" he says. He looks at the girl next to him and smirks "You'll have time during the games Copia." The girl, who I now know is called Copia, laughs again, and drapes her arm around the boy's neck and whispers something into his ear and the boy grins happily. I realise that my view of her as a Siren seems completely justified. She has her male tribute wrapped around her little finger. If Loki (The teer' from 1) was a creature, he'd be a troll. Or perhaps a giant. He is _massive_, with great, hulking arms that hang aimlessly by his sides. For all the hour and a half I have known him for, his expression has stayed in the same gormless expression, except for the grin a couple of seconds ago, and that was pretty creepy too.

My feelings of distaste towards him must have shown in my face because Loki looks at me and says "What are you looking at, _Shower Girl?" _

I give him a pitying look for what must be the crappest nickname in the history of crap nicknames. This just seems to make him angrier.

"Hey, her outfit's not too bad" a voice from another chariot informs me.

It's the 15 year old District 2 tribute, Nyx, the twin of the Victor, Hemera. She's a head shorter than me, but her hat-thingy makes her look taller.

"At least _you're _not dressed as a pick-axe," she says, miserably.

She's wearing a brown tube which a long, grey hat that is threatening to fall off. I snort. I may be one of the more ugly tributes, no point denying it, but at least I'm not dressed like a piece of mining equipment. Nyx introduces herself, as well as her district partner Camulos, who looks _exactly _like Loki. If I didn't already know that you can't move between districts, I'd have said that they were twins. We talk idly about life back home, and I make up some story about training myself as I thought the schools weren't that good. This makes 2/5 of my companions look impressed, and I pray beyond belief that no-one pays much attention to me tomorrow at the training centre. I'll just have to stay to the passive places, and say I already know it all or something. Or maybe I'll be a natural. Fat Chance, I'm not a natural at anything, I have to spend time learning new skills. I _can _memorise things well, so I'll just do plants or something.

I spend time thinking about what to do tomorrow, adding to the conversation when I feel it is necessary. Though I spend most of the time silent, I do learn some other tribute's names, mostly by eavesdropping. The boy who jumped when I looked at him is called Dou, and his sister, who arrives around 5 minutes later, is called Demeter. The hulking girl from 11 is called Pomona, and she spends most of her time talking to the boy from 12, who is extremely attractive. I do not catch his name though. The only other person I learn the name of is the ghost-girl, Mendeina, who spends her time staring lazily at a wall. The other tributes slowly arrive, some looking ridiculous, some reasonably good, some downright terrifying (the one's from 10 are dragons. I mean seriously! What has livestock go to do with _Dragons? _The dragons come with what I think are mini flame-throwers. There's an entertaining moment when Demeter (also dressed as wheat) gets her hair set on fire by the male dragon, causing the tributes surrounding them to scream, and all the 'teers to laugh. District 5's chariot is right next to 9's, and the tiny boy shrieks and falls out of the chariot, causing more gales of laughter from the 'teers. I stand by looking awkward, as it seems like the fall alone could kill the boy. _Stop caring Aal _I tell myself firmly _If I have to be alive by the end of this, he'll need to be dead. It's better if he breaks his stupid neck now, less painful than if the 'teers find him. _This is not the most entertaining thought, so I quash it, and continue my idle talk with the others.

* * *

><p>I hear the anthem before we go. As District 4, we go relatively early on. Sadly, because of this, we are forgotten; District 12 has an advantage over us in this department. That is probably the <em>only <em>advantage that they have over the other districts though. They've only ever had one victor, ever. They never make a splash at the ceremonies anyway, though I shouldn't really be making comments about outfits though, bearing in mind what I am currently wearing. District 1 goes first, and I can hear the cheers from the outside of the door and I feel my knees shake somewhat, I am really nervous right now, my first time to make an impression.

District 2 leaves now, and Nyx gives me a little wave. Camulos ignores me completely. IS it just my imagination or does the cheering subside somewhat when they crowd sees the two pick-axes from District 2. Us 'teer districts normally get better stylists than that. I pull my towel down regretfully. Why did I have to insult my stylist? A couple of minutes after that, the two tiny ones from District 3 almost fall backwards when their chariot jolts forward. My pulse rate increases to what seems like a billion bpm. Kai is saying something, but I can't hear him over the sound of my thumping heart.

"What?" I ask him. He points at Lyna, who has appeared quietly, without me even noticing. Next to her is Hydrao, who's talking to Junia, my stylist. Junia seems to be regaling the tale of my rudeness to Hydrao. Hydrao looks worried and catches my eye. He mouths to me, and sadly, I understand Every. Word. He. Says. He mouths again, in case I missed the first time.

'What were you thinking?' Fresh waves of anger shoot through me, exactly because I wasn't thinking, I _don't_ think when I get really anger. But it had nothing to do with him. He had no right! I may be overreacting, but I really don't care right now. I'm going to be dead in a week. I am fuming so much that I do not even notice the jolt of the cart as it starts to move forward, pulled by the two palomino horses in front of me. I am out in the crowd, and as I look up, I see my face on the screens. I look… Angry. Murderous. Mad. Not like me. People are beginning to scream my name, and Kai's, and I ignore them.

To my left I can see a group of citizens with their skin dyed gold and all of them wearing a shirt with the number '2' embellished upon it. These are the people who sabotage the competition so the ones that the ones that they sponsor will win. They should be outlawed but they make the opening ceremonies more 'interesting'. They shout at the other tributes, but that's about it. Though last year, someone chucked stones at the District 12 tributes, knocking them out cold. They got caught though. I think. I hope. I look at one of them, who's currently screaming obscenities at me and about me, and he catches my eye. For some reason this seems to make him angrier than ever, and his eyes dart around, focusing on the glass railing next to him. He looks at me.

_Oh no _I think angrily _you are not going to do this. I will __kill __you if you do this. _Sadly, he appears not to be telepathic. He reaches out and smashes the railing at the end, creating a glass stick, more than 1 metre long. The sound of the glass shattering is muffled and unnoticeable by the cheers from the crowd. Only I am noticing this. Holding the glass like a spear, he throws it, straight at my face.

* * *

><p>I do not have time to duck, so I raise my hand to try to deflect it. The sound of it shattering into millions of pieces against my skin is inaudible under the screams from the crowd, but whether they are of fear or excitement I cannot tell. Knowing them, I'm guessing excitement. Fury courses through my veins, filling me whole. I clench my hands by my side. I feel something hot dripping down the back of my head, but I feel no pain. I look at my hands, and hold them up in wonder. They are bleeding. A lot. I need to do something now. To show them. Show them all. Now. I look at my bloodied fingers and lift them to my face.<p>

The crowd quiets somewhat, as though in wonder. The quiet ends as soon as I draw my fingers across my cheeks, into a bloody war paint. It is as if an bomb has gone off. Shrieks and cheers fill the space around me. A shard of glass is at my feet, bloody, wet and warm. I bend down, pick it up and place it in my hair, as if it was a flower. I then rub my hands against my white dress, staining it crimson. I want to do more, but I do not know what to do. Drips of hot liquid are falling onto my shoulders from somewhere and I wonder vaguely whether the man had thrown coffee or something. It smells. I smell. I smell of metal, tangy and bitter. I glance back to the crowd, every person there is attempting to catch my eye, the man has gone, melted into the crowd like he has shattered like the glass. I glance back up at the screen, which still shows my face (it should really have moved onto the ghost girl from 5). I am a warrior. I am bloodied. I am a madwoman. I am most certainly, most definitely _not me. _And this thought only makes me madder.

**I want to write more! But I need sleep! I know this is probably way too dramatic, but don't worry, 'tis but a flesh wound and it wasn't even glass! You'll have to wait for more if you want to learn more! One more thing. Do you see that blue button beneath this. The one saying 'review'? Yes. Each press means you will get sent a virtual Cookie. Do **_**you **_**want a virtual Cookie? You do? THEN CLICK THE BUTTON! **_**FOR ALL OF OUR SAKES! **_**To a more sane note, I am sorry if this was too dramatic, I did say it was from my dream and I **_**had **_**eaten a lot of cheese before bed. Cheddar. Cathedral City to be precise. Anyway, point being REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! COOKIES! REVIEW! CHEESE! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**


	7. The Masked

**I own the Hunger Games. Not.**

**This is a lot of internal monologue-ing, though that will end soon, don't worry! Next chapter will be the training, and maybe the one after (this will be a _looooong fanfiction). _Then private training, then the interviews and then…**

**THE GAMES! **

**The Masked**

_This is not me. But I put this mask on, and I can't take it off now. This mask is fragile; it could break at the lightest touch. I must never let that happen. Never. I chose this. I never meant too, not really. I was just angry at the Capitol, at the world, at the man who threw the glass. But that doesn't matter anymore. However I did it, I did it. And this fragile, Porcelain mask of mine can't come off now, I cannot be me. I must be who the people think I am, the bloodied, reaped, raging girl from 4. _

The rest of the night passes in a heartbeat. I feel as though I am in a dream. I am not an angry person; I like to stay hidden, in the side-lines, forgotten by everyone. That was my plan for the games, to hide until the end, try not to be noticed, to kill. I want to go home, I want to go home as _me. _Not as some person the Capitol created. Except I created this mask. They say the games change you.

I changed myself.

We finish the loop around the square, and then stop in front. The president drones for a bit about the Hunger Games, more or less copying what Gaia said yesterday. Yesterday? It can't have been yesterday? Once he's finished talking, our horses move forwards, into the justice building. The sharp 'jolt' actually _does _send the female tribute from 3 flying, she lands on her back on the edge of the chariot. The rest of the 'teers are laughing, like the president, and the Capitol. She looks mortified and terrified. She quickly picks herself up, struggling; she seems to be trapped in the folds of her long, black gown. She tumbles again, her foot caught in a crease. The laughing increases. She looks close to tears now, and I have to stop myself telling Kai and the others to shut up, and leave her alone. But I cannot do that. I am the rage girl, and I have to appear emotionless, or angry. So not me. The large doors to the training centre swing open in front of me, as I have seen them do many times before, on the television. This may be the last time I ever see them. The moving chariots go through the doors, and after the chariot for 12 has gone through, the doors slam shut with a definite 'thud'. The stylists arrive, clucking like overexcited chickens. My stylist, Junia, looks murderous, either because I actually made an impression on the Capitol or because I made her precious outfit bloody. Frankly, I don't give a damn. Lyna and Hydrao come over, Lyna looks half impressed, though keeps a smirk on her face. Hydrao looks shocked, but I see something behind his eyes, a look of unhappiness, maybe even _grief. _Why that is, I cannot understand. Gaia appears, happy at the impression we made, positively _bouncing _with energy.

"Come on, come on, come on!" She warbles happily, before saying "Big day tomorrow, the first day of training! After dinner you should go straight to bed, be awake for it all" She gives us all a sick smile that makes me wish I had already eaten dinner, so I could throw up all over her, and cover her with sick.

Then again, I could throw Junia at her to achieve the same effect.

* * *

><p>Dinner is a quiet affair for me. I don't feel much like talking and Lyna and Kai seem intent in talking to each other, and each other alone. The food is delicious, but I seem to have lost the sense of taste, and it all tastes bland, like overcooked shrimp. Eating feels like more of a chore than an enjoyable activity. This is most definitely not normal for me. Marlin always says that if I could eat all I wanted, I'd make district 9 run out of wheat for bread! I'm most absolutely voracious, especially for the shellfish from my district. The thought of Marlin, and of district 4, just makes me feel lonely and sad again.<p>

After I've swallowed down several servings of bland food (which Gaia insists tastes 'Splendid!') I make way up to my bedroom. Getting to this floor was easy enough. Just press '4' on the elevator and it brings you straight up here. We have one of the worst views though. Wish I was in 12. Or even 11.

_Then again _I think sadly _If I was in one of those districts, I might be dead from starvation already. _

As Gaia continually rambled about over dinner, it's the first day of training tomorrow, where I can learn skills to help me stay alive. So I can keep up my air of raging madness. Joy. Then again, I've never seen the training sessions aired on television, so perhaps I can be myself there, or at least, more like myself. I can't let the other tributes know how calm I am normally. A disturbing thought pops up in my mind. Maybe this is normal for me. Maybe it isn't even a mask. Maybe I'm naturally an angry, violent and bloody girl. Maybe I was covering my true self up around Marlin and Nymph. That can't be right. It can't. I refuse to let that be right. I try to block out this thought, but it keeps bursting up, and up, and up, again and again. Roaring like some hungry lion, refusing to be quiet, to be forgotten. I sink down into my bed, feeling miserable. I can't let this show to anyone. If I want to cry again, I should do it now. Hidden. But the tears that came so easily on the night of the reaping refuse to come now.

_So I am the fury girl after all. _This thought makes me cry, which makes me even more miserable all over again.

_Stop _I tell myself firmly _What would Marlin think if he saw you now. You could be dead in 5 days, and all you can think about is your stupid emotions?_ I stop the crying, and punch a pillow next to me. Blue. Typical. The Capitol is _unoriginal. _

Marlin hates the colour blue. He likes yellow, the bright type, like the sun reflecting off the sea on a bright day. My favourite colour is green. Dark, bright green. Like rainforest, I saw it in the games a couple of years ago. Through all the death, all I could notice as the vibrant green of the surroundings. District 6 won that year. For the first time ever I think. I never told Marlin how I felt. I always felt that there would be time. I procrastinated. Not now, on your 14th, after the exam. He's busy now, tomorrow. You're too young! Maybe when your 16. 17. 18. Then the year after I would have to find someone to marry. We'd always assumed – Me, Nymph and Marlin – that Marlin would choose one of us, and the other would already have a boyfriend. Nymph _always _had a casual boyfriend on the go, so I always thought it wouldn't matter, I would end up marrying Marlin either way. But now, if I die, Nymph will go with Marlin. My crush and my best-friend. If I win though, I won't _need _to get married, I'll be a victor, and we're exempt from the marriage rules! Then I might never tell Marlin about how I feel. And I'll be alone, as usual. I punch my pillow again. Nymph always complained about the rule, she wanted to stay single, and so did I. I wanted to marry when _I _wanted to, after me and Marlin had grown together. We will never have that chance now. Either way.

Would Marlin even want to talk to me if I won? In our little cove, he'd talk about the victors, about how happy they were, even though they'd killed people, people like _us. _I asked him once whether he'd kill if he was entered. He never answered me, but I think he would. I would, I mean, I _am _going to kill. Preferably not one of the smaller ones. Not the ones from 3, or the boy from 9. Or even Kai. The thought of him lying dead sends shivers down my spine, though I don't know why. Would Marlin recognise me now, would he see past my fragile, porcelain mask to the scared girl I am now, the reluctant soldier? Would he see that, or the rage and fury girl from 4? Or would he see me. A mixture of the two.

I try to stop these thoughts coming but the more I try to stop them, the more intense they come. Images of Marlin and Nymph kissing while I scream at them to stop. Images of Dou from 9's death, brutal at the hands of a bloodied Kai, who's muttering insanely while he pulls his intestine's out like rope. Then the image changed, Kai's standing over me, holding my spear.

"You were wrong to trust me rage girl" He hisses to me "Wrong. I just wanted the _pleasure _of your company before I killed you…"

I do not know when I fell asleep, and when the thoughts transitions from mental images to full-fledged night-mares. All I know is that I wake up, sweating on the floor by the bed. I must have fallen off some point. It is dark outside, though a pink tinge can be seen peeking over the sickly-bright colours of the Capitol. I stand up, realising I am still wearing the clothes from the ceremony. Blood from my hand is still seeping from the wound in my hand. I rip of the towels. No-one asked me to give it back. It occurs to me that maybe my stylists were too scared to ask me for anything after my bloody entrance. . I can't really remember them from last night, though I do think that Tullia was hiding slightly away from me. Maybe it was my imagination. The idea the people who 'prettied me up' for the crowd's entertainment are afraid of me gives me a raw, savage pleasure. The idea that I _liked _them yesterday seems preposterous right now!

I chuck the white towels which are stained crimson on the floor and walk into the ensuite in the next room. I look at the showers apprehensively. Showers remind me too much of waterfalls, and of a nasty incident where Raym tripped at the top of one and fell down and hit his head on a rock. My father had to dive in to get him out, and Raym still has this scar on his forehead. He shows everyone at school for show and tell.

I press a button and a cloud of yellow explodes into my face, causing me to cough violently. I step out of the shower, retching slightly. I hold onto the door and cough up what seems to be my entire respiratory tract. Once I have regained control of my airways I breathe in and smell… Is that _cheese? _Who the _hell _wants to smell like _feet _after they shower? I go back into the bathroom, cautiously, like approaching a wild animal. Avoiding the shower I go over to sink and run the taps on full. Cupping my hands, I catch the cool water and dribble it down my face, washing away the smells from my body. It takes some time but after an hour or so of tedious washing, I feel presentable.

I leave the bathroom (giving the shower an evil look, as well as making a mental not to give it a wide berth. Somehow I do not feel like smelling like old cheese in front of my future murderers) and look in the cupboard for something to wear. The pink tinge has gained confidence, rising higher up in the sky, standing proudly over the buildings now. I sigh, everything has frills. Feeling moody again, I grab the nearest frilled T-shirt and rip of the arms from the elbows, where this stupid ruff starts. _There _I think to myself _They can pay for that_. I dress and find my green bracelet, well Marlin's, but I ignore this, and place it around my wrist, twisting it in my nerves. What should I do first? I feel myself being drawn to the knives, just because they are a useful and common weapon. Helpful right? I should also do plants in case there is no water in the arena, or if the only source is held by the 'teers. I made my choice tonight. I'm _not _joining them. I take a deep breath and walk across the room to the exit…

**You like? YOU REVIEW! I have had no reviews for my last chapter, and I put _hours _into it :( It would be nice for a review, or some feedback for my hard work, be it positive or negative! I am also planning a sequel, or even a trequel of 3. Name-wise I am thinking 'Chipped Mask' and 'Shattered Mask'. But I may be unable to do them if I get no reviews. I may kill her off early if I feel unappreciated! Now I've had my little moan-y sulk, so please REVIEW! NOOOOOOOOOOOOW!**


	8. The Trainee: Training

**You know Suzanne Collins? I'm not her. Shock. Horror. I noticed something when reading my story through. It. Is. Too. Short! Honestly! From now on I **_**promise **_**longer chapters, though I don't know if anyone's even reading this anymore.**

**The Trainee**

The dining room is larger than my entire house, including the garden. A table, the size of the bedroom I share with my sisters is groaning under the weight of sausages, kippers, toast, bacon, eggs of every variety. I stare at it, mouth open, until I realise how stupid I must look, and I close it. At home, breakfast is usually just what we had for dinner the night before, or if it was one of our birthdays, a loaf of green-tinted bread. I take a seat opposite a smirking Kai, who is stuffing his face with as much food as he can, as Gaia looks on, traumatized.

"Didst cho o ay nover tem tum, ray gurl?" He asks me, mouth stuffed with scrambled eggs, which sprays everywhere as he speaks. Gaia gives a little sob. I raise my eyebrows.

"I don't speak pig Kai, empty your pie hole and then I'll speak to you" I say this with as much sarcasm as I can muster, which isn't a lot. Kai rolls his eyes and takes an enormous swallow, gulping down more food in one mouthful than I normally eat in a day. He coughs slightly.

"Did you throw another tantrum, rage girl" He gestures towards my T-shirt, which I ripped the sleeves off this morning.

Gaia gasps in shock "You didn't!" she cries in dismay at me, looking forlornly at my previously long-sleeved T-shirt. Me and Kai do some synchronised eye rollings. I turn back to Kai, leaving Gaia to her unhappiness. "No, I didn't have a tantrum!"

Kai raises an eyebrow.

"Well, OK, sort of." Kai grins through a mouthful of kippers, which seem to have appeared there mysteriously since I was distracted by Gaia.

"Anyway, we're gonna meet the rest of the volunteers today!" He says this with such vigour; it's hard to say no. But I made myself a promise yesterday that I would do it on my own, so I say

"Actually, I sort of work better on my own." He looks somewhat upset and angry, so I add "Anyway, I've got an appearance to keep up, for the sponsors right?" Kai snorts milk everywhere. "Rage girl. That your angle? I'd say it didn't suit you if I didn't see you last night."

I nod "What about you?"

He shrugs "Smirky and sarcastic I think".

I laugh "You should play the stupid, mindless thug angle; you wouldn't even need to act!"

Kai puts a hand over his heart "You really think that! I'm shocked! This stupid, mindless thug has feelings!" He then pretends to sob. While he does that, I grab some toast, and butter it up with Jam **(A/N Jelly for you Americans!) **He then sits up, smirking. "Well _you _should do the angle of smelly, t-shirt ripping bully!" This causes him to throw my toast at his face. Laughing, he ducks, and the toast soars over his hair like an eagle, straight towards the door to Lyna's room. Which is open. Where Lyna is standing. The toast hits her square in the face. This creates peals of laughter from Kai, as Lyna stands there, Jam **(Jelly) **from her face, making her look like she's stayed in the sun too long. She does _not _look amused about the whole situation. She stalks towards the table (Causing Kai's laughter to stop almost instantaneously) and picks up a napkin. She removes the majority of the Jam **(Jelly) **from her face, and looks like she's trying hard either not to punch me in the head, or not to rip my head off whole. Lyna snarls at me, and bends down, her head now at my level. I can see some Jam **(Jelly) **up her nose, slowly making its way down, like red snot. This causes me to hold my breath, to stop the laughter that is trying hard to escape from my lips.

"What are you laughing at, Lotty?" She said the last word with such venom; it's pretty obvious the word is an insult. I feel like mumbling incoherently and turning red, but I can't do that now. I'm the raging fury girl.

I keep my face free of all expression and say coolly "Only the funniest thing I've seen my whole life".

My heart is pumping faster than it has ever done before, and I see her visibly _shake _with fury. The little bit of Jam **(Jelly) **trailing down her nose vibrates indignantly for a few seconds, then escapes, falling onto my plate with a sad 'phlat'. Lyna has blanched like an overcooked cod but still keeps her face close to mine. I can smell what she had for dinner yesterday as she breathes over me, telling me "You be careful. I'm in charge of you, while you're in the death-pit they call the Arena" She smiles a sickly sweet smile, which makes me wonder whether my breakfast will be making a reappearance soon. She continues "It would be so, _so _sad if I forgot to send you that water, or that food when you needed it most. So remember that. Though if I was sending you what you really needed, I'd better send you some high-concentration spot cream." One final breath in my face (causing my stomach to lurch violently. I hold it down; I don't think vomiting on Lyna will help me right now.) She stands up and grabs the meatiest, bloodiest thing on the table; and proceeds to tear it to pieces throwing large chucks down her throat. My voice is shaking somewhat, but somehow I make myself say "Really? I thought Hydrao was my mentor. I was *ahem* too weak for you."

Lyna grins nastily "Accidents can be arranged…"

Hydrao turns a mixture of red and white, and then seems to alternate between the two. The effect is actually rather interesting. If only I could have worn a dress _that _colour yesterday, I might not have become the bloody rage girl. **(A/N No pun intended!) **He sees me staring at him ; and shrinks into the shadows. Now I understand how he won the Hunger Games. As I glance back at Lyna (who's stabbing the bacon with a little bit _too _much vigour to be natural) I wish I could do the same thing. Hydrao seems overwhelmed by the attention he's received so far (please note my sarcasm) and stands up to leave, even though he hasn't eaten anything so far. He murmurs "9 o'clock, training. Aalgae don't…. just don't…. doesn't matter" He goes quiet and leaves, mumbling slightly. As I look back to Lyna, (who's teaching Kai how to kill someone with just a ribbon, string and a rubber duck) I wonder whether we have _any _sane tributes. There's the mental Lyna, Mumbling Hydrao, Pyrax, the victor from the 10th games or something, who 'buys' young girls, not to mention the one who refuses to talk to anyone anymore after saw someone killed by having their tongue ripped out, and suffocating on their own blood. My Dad refused to let us watch that moment, and took me and Raym away from the TV. I yawn slightly, and grab what seems to be a shrimp (but dyed purple for some reason) and begin to eat. No matter what the Capitol tries to make us do, fight to the death or whatever, you can't say they don't have _the best _food.

* * *

><p>Gaia takes us down to the training centre, though I know Hydrao or Lyna is supposed to. But Hydrao has locked himself in his room, and I don't think Lyna can trust herself in my presence at the precise time. But as Gaia bounces up and down with excitement, I can't help thinking I'd prefer the risk of death to her continually twittering on about clothes, as well as making comments about the T-shirt I ripped this morning. (She still looks shocked.) I have just worked out how to ignore it when we arrive at the place we were going to. The training centre. There are around 20 stalls arranged in rows in the room, each with its own trainer as well as different items. The trainer at the stall with all the ropes looks upset, so I'm thinking that no-one ever goes there. I make a mental note of this so I can go there if I need alone time. The biggest stall is at the back, full of weapons of all varieties. A hundred different types of knives, swords with blades so sharp I'd be scared to go near. Some weapons I have never seen before, let alone knowing the names for them. A mini-bow and arrow with a weird stick thing on it, like a handle. I make another mental note to go there to see what it even does. So many weapons. It's like we're at a market, except all the stalls are selling the same thing. Death. I hear Kai exhale with anticipation and excitement. He probably knows what the stick-bow thingy is. We are ordered into lines, District 1 at the touch, 12 at the back. We are somewhere near the front so I can look around, to see all the stalls and wonder about how many of the skills offered are already known by Loki , Copia, Kai and the other 'teers. I know the fishing skills, which means I'll do fine if there's some form of water large enough to fish from in the arena. That isn't for certain though, and even if there is a source of water, say a lake, in the games, the 'teers will probably be guarding the source so unless I joined them… No. I will <em>not <em>become like them. I'll just have to try to learn other skills. I'll avoid the spears, just so I can save it for the gamemakers. Not that it will be much of a surprise if someone from District 4 can use a spear, it's like District 7 and axes. They can _all _use axes. I could learn a new skill, like spend all my time with the bow and arrows to show them something different, but am I really likely to become _that _good at weaponry in 3 days? I guess I'm doing spears then.

The person in charge, Thetis, gives us a talk on basic health and safety (wouldn't want us to get hurt would they). He tells us all not to fight each other (he gives our district and 1 and 2 a stern look) He then tells us we can go wherever we want now, and that lunch is at 1. Loki, Copia, Camulos and Kai immediately go over to the weapons, the larger the better. Nyx and the other tributes (me included stand around aimlessly for a bit, before wandering off to different stations. I stand around, watching Kai chuck a sword at a dummy (the head falls off and is promptly kicked at another tribute, who squeals in shock as it hits them in the face. Thetis drones again about not fighting each other before going off, probably to find some food or something. He looks _well _acquainted with food in general in my opinion. After that incident, almost everyone goes to the survival stations, giving the 'teers a wide berth. I'm in a good mind to do the same thing, and I'm halfway to the edible plants station when I remember who I am. Or more precisely, who I am pretending to be. I veer left, towards the weapons furthest from 'teers, who are currently taking it in turns to stab the centre dummy in the groin with various different weapons. Nyx stands awkwardly around them, before picking up a pick-axe and swinging it so hard into the groin that is splits the dummy in two. This causes all the watching boys to flinch, and Copia to whoop and clap Nyx on the back. She smiles modestly and joins in, slightly less awkward.

I arrive at the throwing knives station to find one other person there already, one of the farming districts I think. He's standing in front of one of the walls near the dummies, trying to tug a knife out of the wall. I open my mouth to tell him it was a good throw (most of mine don't stick in anything) when he sees me, jumps and walks off towards the fire making station. This annoys me somewhat, so I try to forget him and start chucking knives at the target. My aim is good, after years of practicing with my spear, but I have no strength with my throw, I'm lucky if the knives stay in! I keep practicing though, and after an hour or two of working on my power, all my knives stay in the dummy. No-one approaches either this station or the station with the 'teers. They still haven't moved. Kai catches me staring at him and grins at me. He picks up a massive club and proceeds to shatter a dummy to pieces for my entertainment. He smirks at me and I raise my eyebrows. I'm not entirely sure why but it seems to make Kai happy. I return to the knives, now learning how to use them for close combat. This, I suck at massively, I am overpowered by all but the smallest trainers. The shortest one teaches me what to do if someone bigger than you tries to jump you, which is a sort of roll flip thingy, but you hold your knife behind your head, to prevent attacks or something. Another couple of hours of this and I have mastered knives. Sort of. (By that I mean not really compared to _any _of the 'teers. Except maybe Nyx, but I don't think I could kill her anyway. She didn't want to come here.

At lunch, I sit on my own, but so do most people. A alliance has arisen between District 10 and 11, As well as this group, the 'teers sit together, chatting loudly and making comments (loudly) about the other tributes, while each one mentioned turns red and tries to disappear. Only the district 11 girl and me are left alone, for different reasons though. The girl from 11 is massive, and could probably kill me by sitting on me. I, on the other hand, am seen as an unknown, and I'm sure Kai's told them all about my invented skill with a knife (he was asking about my 'trick' with the apple I did on the train, and lying seemed the easiest option. As usual) Talking of the girl from 11, she is currently lumbering over to the boy from 9, Dou, who is alone on his table. His sister refused to come downstairs this morning, and so he's on his own. She walks over to him, and Dou becomes aware of the _thing _in front of him. He seems to lose a couple of inches off his height as she towers over him.

"Give me the bread" she says calmly "or bad things will happen".

Dou turns red and picks up the basket of bread to pass over to the girl. This makes me angry. She might be twice his size, but that doesn't mean she can just steal his stuff! I want to do something about this, but I can't… wait a second! Yes I can! I'm rage girl, right? Smiling grimly to myself, I pick up my porcelain mask and put it on, before walking over to the behemoth in front of Dou, currently holding his bread. I storm over there, no, I _am _the storm. I stand behind the girl, (I must be around 1/3rd a foot smaller than her) and tap her smartly on the shoulder. She turns as menacingly as possible, ready to crush the person behind her.

"You do know stealing's illegal, right?"

She sees it's me and I can see the cogs working in her brain, as she recalls who I am. I see a look of horror begin to spread across her face and I smile so widely, I look demented. Just the look I was aiming for.

"I'd give that back to him if I were you" I says sweetly, but slightly _too _sweetly, making me sound slightly mad.

When she does not react, I pick one of the loaves out of the basket, and crush it in one hand, before tearing it with my teeth as violently as possible, while still smiling pleasantly. I always was good at drama, which comes in handy now. I never really paid attention in Biology though, which is maybe why I'm finding it easy to ignore the fight or flight reflex. She turns around and passes me the bread, and walks away slowly, facing me, as though I might pounce on her and attack. I take the basket and put it gently down in front of Dou, and leave. I think I might have scared him for life already. _And how long will his life be? _I think sadly _He has __no __chance in these games._ Dou seems to feel the same. He's looking up at me with a look of awe and fear, though the fear seems to be most intense. He looks worried that I might hit him. I move away from him and sit down on my table, alone. Everyone is staring me, while still trying to back away from me. Copia whispers something to Kai, who shakes his head and shrugs. Copia look slightly peeved. I can guess what they're talking about, Kai has probably told Copia about my not wanting to be one of the 'teers, and Copia is none too happy about that. I thank myself for my mask, if I didn't have it; they'd probably be coming over now and threating me. Then again, if I didn't have my mask would they even want me on their side? Everyone is still glancing over at me and the girl from 11 (general chatter tells me her name is Pomona) and I pretend that I am on my own. After some time, the talking stops and everyone returns to staring at their plate and attempting not to make eye contact with anyone in the vicinity. I glance over to Dou and see that he is still staring at me. I catch his eye and he turns red. I glance around to make sure no-one else is looking, and flash him a smile, my first genuine one for days. He blushes slightly and waves back.

**The end! Yay! Sorry I'm a day late! I spent all the time planning for Mandarin exchange tomorrow! Because of this, I cannot update until Wednesday, not next week, but the week after! Please, please do not un-alert! Also, please ALERT if you like this. PLEASE. REVIEW TOO! Please! Thank you for your reviewing in advance!**


	9. The Waiter

**You know what? I don't own the Hunger Games. I thought you might already know that due to the many sarcastic comments about that very thing. **

**The Waiter**

Today is the last day where I can train for the whole day. Tomorrow I will have to showcase my 'talents' to be rated by the gamemakers. Today is uneventful, well, as uneventful as a competition where 24 teenagers fight to the death can be. As usual, the 'teers go around intimidating people, and everyone else is either intimidated or ignored. I fall into the latter category, and I am very glad for that. The only new thing that happens before lunch is that Demeter, Dou's sister, comes down to train. I spend most of my time watching them, especially Dou, as they learn how to throw knives and build fires.

For someone so scared of everything, Demeter is _brilliant _with snares. Must be something to do with working with animals in District 9. Within 5 minutes of arriving at the snares station, she manages to capture an unaware, wandering sword trainer, where he is currently dangling upside down by his leg. The blood is rushing to his head, making him look like an overripe tomato. I hear Demeter giggle, and I realise that this is the first sound I have heard her make that isn't a sob or a cry. I want to laugh at the trainer too, (who's currently swearing loudly and trying to get Kai to cut him down. Kai refuses to as he is lying on the floor incapacitated with laughter) but I feel that it won't work well with my 'image'. Instead I smile to myself, and make another mental note (my mental notebook's getting pretty full….) to keep an eye on the siblings, in the arena and the training centre.

This probably isn't a good idea, but I tell myself that this is because I need to learn their weaknesses, but this is a lie. Completely. Even with Demeter's snares, she's no match for the 'teers. If I have to pay attention to someone, it should either be them, or the girl from District 5. She has long, mousy hair, and she's no great beauty. She isn't exactly unattractive too. She's just _there_. She is of average weight and height, and seems to be trying to blend in with the other tributes. It works, and as I try to remember her face from the reaping tapes, I don't recall her at all. I watch her out of the corner of my eye, as I attempt to build a shelter. (Note, by _attempt, _I mean _fail. Badly_) when she thinks no-one is watching her, she swing the mace she's been 'struggling' with so hard at the dummy, it leaves a dent where the groin is supposed to be. She looks pleased, but when she sees me watching her, she quickly reverts to being unable to pick up the mace, let alone swing it. Where the hell did she learn to swing a mace in District 5?

Apart from that, she could be easily forgotten; she could just melt into the crowd and disappear. I, unfortunately, do not have that luxury. I have tried to be ignored and forgotten, but it doesn't work. Twice today I have looked up from my work to find tributes staring at me, either with awe or fear. From the way I have acted so far in the competition, I'm guessing the look is probably one of fear. They probably think I wouldn't think twice about beating them to death with my bear hands.

Scowling, and feeling like a horrible person I return to building my pile of sticks which is supposed to be a shelter. I spend the next hour struggling to keep a stick standing upright, while the trainer stands awkwardly behind me, too scared to give me any advice.

* * *

><p>When the bell sounds to announce lunch, I kick my 'shelter' and it collapses into the pile of sticks and mud that it actually is. I did that 25% because I am rage girl and 75% because I am pretty peeved right now and could really punch someone right now. Preferably President Snow and I don't mind if I have to kick him, either. Lunch is boring again. I am alone, bored and <em>very <em>moody. People avoid me like the plague. I eat some bread, and watch Dou and Demeter (my new favourite hobby). Dou's trying to convince Demeter to eat some bread, and Demeter is refusing, staring at it like it's made of writhing snakes. I learn from his pleading that she's nicknamed 'Demi'. Cute. I cannot remember for the life of me whether Dou is the oldest child or not. From the way they're acting it certainly seems so. I'm the oldest reap-able child in our family. I stab a potato moodily, I ate all my bread.

* * *

><p>We go back to the stations after lunch. I (gladly) leave the shelter station, hoping I'll find a cave or something. I sucked at that, but I have become a master (ish) at weapons, such as swords, knives and even that bow-sticky thing. I learned that it's called a crossbow, why? I do not know. I make another note in my full mental notebook to call it the stickbow from now on. I'm not really an expert in anything except my spear, and was trying to hide that. It seemed stupid to pretend to be completely awful with it, I am supposed to be a 'teer, so I pretended to be slightly worse than I am, aiming a foot wide each time, and pretending to be frustrated with the results. I'm not an idiot like the males from District 1 and 2. Idiots. I look over at them to see Loki try and swallow Nightlock at the edible plants station for the 7th time today. Killing him should be easy; I'd just have to offer him some food! I decide to go to snares, where Dou is sitting. His sister has moved on to climbing. I decide to snares for 2 reasons, 1, there might not be any water in the arena, and that'd be my only source of food at the moment, 2, I want to talk to Dou. I pick up some string and I try to copy a snare which the trainer makes with agile hands. I am not very good, there's no need for snares in District 4. My fingers fumble over knots which the trainer assures me are simple. Eventually, he gets so frustrated with my failing snares that he just leaves, to go and train the hulking girl from 11, who is scarily good with a sword. He mustn't have chosen snares, maybe he did something wrong and got sent here as punishment!<p>

"Need help?" a small whispery voice calls out from my left. Dou. I'm quite surprised he'd talk to me, and I consider replacing my mask when I remember that I smiled at him yesterday. I glance round, but no-one is looking at me, although I do see Kai's moody face. I look back at Dou and nod gratefully.

"I'm awful" I tell him, as he picks up my forlorn looking trap. "You and Demeter are good, I saw you from the shelter station. So you use snares in livestock?"

"No" he whispers "We can't trap our own animals, on pain of death." He goes quiet again, as I struggle with another knot. My fingers are not agile; they're clumsy, like inert sausages. _Way _too large for intricate work like this. Dou's small hands are a godsend in this area of expertise. My next failure makes me even more frustrated, and I throw the string at the ground. I turn to Dou.  
>"I'm not really like this. It's a mask for the crowd"<p>

He nods "I'm not wearing one" he tells me, looking sad "I really am weak. I can't do anything, neither can Demi. We have no chance of survival at all. I'll be dead within 2 days."

We lapse into silence again, and I restart my work on a new snare. 10 minutes later Dou bursts out

"Mum and Dad only have Gabli now." He says this like he's answering a question I asked, or continuing a conversation that we were having. I frown at him

"What did your parents do?" I ask him, before hastily correcting myself "I mean, it's pretty obvious you weren't both reaped. It was fixed, right? What happened? Did they do something wrong because they're mayors or…"

"No" he says quietly "It wasn't them. It was my sister, Gabli. She won the games last year" That shocks me. Dou's related to Gabli Ruben? The vicious killer from last year? Then again, she probably wasn't vicious before the games, just like me, she put on a mask. I don't really remember much from that year, I spent too much time watching Marlin. Thinking of Marlin just makes me feel sad again, so I try to forget and ask Dou

"What did she do? If she did do something, that is. Maybe they just wanted some added excitement by adding a victor's relative."

Dou shrugs "My parents wouldn't tell me. All I know is that the Capitol wanted her to do things, and she refused. She told our parents, and they told her to keep refusing. They wouldn't tell us what it was. It was punishment, our reaping" He says, looking angry "at least my parents have Gabli, unless the Capitol kill her, as well as me and Demi." This makes him sad again, and he lapses into silence.

"What about you?" He asks, minutes later

"What?" I ask him, confused.

"You know" he says "why were you reaped?"

I shrug "Common or garden reaping. I'm pretty sure it was just an accident. I hoped someone would volunteer for me, because I'm not a 'teer and…"

"A 'teer?" he says confused

"You don't know what a 'teer is?" I say, bemused "It's someone from District 1, 2 or 4, someone who volunteers to be in the games for the glory or for the riches which you get for winning. Personally I think that they're a load of…"

"Oh!" he exclaims "you mean Career tributes! Or Careers for short!"

"Careers?" I say blankly, the word sounds foreign on my lips.

"Yeah, Careers, they train their whole lives for the games so it's like their 'Career' to play and win the games."

"OK then" I say. The word is ludicrous; at least, that's what I think. Career is one syllable longer than 'teer, so it takes longer to say. Longer means more time wasted and so slower reaction. That means death in the games. Career does make sense though, in a weird way. Dou gives me another sad smile, leaving me clueless again. What's with the creepy smile this time? I find out within a minute when he puts down his snare and says "I don't want an Ally." I open my mouth to reply but no sounds come out "I don't even know your name. I don't think I could help you, and I'd just hold you back. Even if you wanted me, I have to protect Demi, and I don't think she'd want to ally with the rage girl from District 4." This is the largest amount of words I have heard him say. Ever. I think arguing wouldn't work so I sigh and say

"Should we agree to not kill each other then?"

He smiles "Deal." He goes off to help Demi, who's falling off the climbing wall and calling for him. This makes me even sadder. I have no allies; I'm not joining the 'tee… Careers, and Dou and Demi don't want me. I'm going to end up on my own again.

* * *

><p>I try to avoid Dou from this point onwards, for his good as well as mine. For the rest of the day I try to avoid his gaze, and go to the stations furthest from him. I move from station to station, learning along the way. I learn that I suck entirely at ropes and snares, after I get tangled up in some snare wire. I ace fishing though, which was pretty predictable from someone from District 4. At the end of the day I am completely pooped, and I try to sit through Gaia's happy talking, and Lyna's growls without falling asleep (Hydrao stays quiet. As usual) it takes all my will-power not to just fall into my mashed potato-and-carrots and sleep. I find myself dozing off too, and am awakened with a jump when Lyna shouts at me to stop staring at my pie. I glower at her, and try to stop myself throwing the damn pie into her face. I will never know how I stopped myself. My self-preservation instincts must be working after all. I go to bed, grumbling and lie there for some time, fingering the bracelet Marlin gave me. I miss him, and Nymph, but mostly him. I never will get a chance to ask him out now. I roll over and fall to sleep just like that. Maybe he won't want me back, but I want him back. I make an oath that I will ask him out if I survive this, and go back to District 4. I don't want to return a murderer though…<p>

I shuffle uncomfortably on the bed, thinking of all the people I cannot kill. Dou and Demi, I made a promise. Kai is someone from home, I couldn't kill him. All the ones who are Career fodder. I don't think I could kill Nyx. She's 15, and she didn't want to be here, she was reaped, just like me. The only ones left are the two males from 1 and 2, Loki and Camulos. I could probably kill Copia, if she was trying to attack me or Kai. Or Dou. Or even a fodder-child. God. 3 people? I could never be a Career.

This thought comforts me as I drift off to sleep.

**So. Mandarin exchange, I'm going in like 1 hour! Excited, excited me! That's why this is a day early, so you can read it and enjoys it now, rather than next Tuesday! And you'd **_**better **_**enjoy it :( **

**I hope you liked it, so R&R! Next chapter will be either the private training sessions, or a short chapter on Aal's dream. It depends how much time I have! It might be late too, so if it is the dream, it might only be 500 words long! Please keep reading though! I'm just busy at the moment, but they will get longer! I have GCSEs in 2 weeks, and I have to revise so the next two chapters will be short. I'm sorry :(**


	10. The Dreamer

**Disclaimer: This Fanfiction has not rated this product for effectiveness against Zombies.****  
><strong>**In case of Zombie attack, please consult... wait, what are you..? No! ...Stop!****  
><strong>**...AAAaaaarrgghhhurgglllahhh...****  
><strong>**...****  
><strong>**...b****  
><strong>**...bbbbb...b..b..braaiiiins****  
><strong>**Braaaiiins.****  
><strong>**BRAAAAAIINNS!**

**(Also, I do not own the Hunger Brains… I mean Games) **

***looks around to check no-one noticed the slip up, and then jumps on friend Abi and devourers her juicy brain***

**The Dreamer**

I am floating. That is the first thing I become aware of. High above the ground, my only company being the wispy excuses for clouds whirling around me, as if I am their centre of gravity. A flock of snowy geese fly by me; leaving trails of water here they fly. I zoom through the sprays of water, embracing how cool and relaxing the water feels on my exposed skin. I laugh, I am free. I twirl in the air like an acrobat, revelling in the way the air whips through my hair. I extend my arm; I reach towards one of the marshmallows bouncing from across the sky... The closest one is a bright white, as I gaze towards it, it morphs, turning a light blue, it compresses, shrinking away from my fingertips, from my touch.

"No…" I whisper, pleading "Don't go"

Because I know that if it goes, I will fall, to the ground and from this feeling. Does this make sense? I decide that it doesn't matter, I know what I mean, and that's enough, right? Yes. That is thought of falling to my death scares me less than the thought that I would never be able to fly like this again. Tentatively, the blue orb pulsates, before enlarging massively, and changing once more. Now it is a large swirling ball of water, complete with drifting seaweed and paranoid fish darting this way and that, trying to escape. This seems odd, why would you escape the thing giving you life in the first place? I extend my fingers one by one, and brush them against the water. Ripples shoot out from the point I touched it. I feel nothing, just a slowing in the speed that my fingers move, the same texture, the same temperature as the air encasing it. A fish drifts cautiously near my hand, investigating the intruder in its watery home. Then it goes, back to the other fish again. Then, without warning, the ball of water collapses, turning back to the rain that formed it. I watch it shoot down, towards the ground, like the rain which the cloud contained in the first place. Odd.

* * *

><p>I laze around in the sky for some time, until a lurching sensation in my stomach informs me that gravity has stopped its strike, and that I am falling out of the sky again. Again? I open my mouth, but something has robbed me of my ability to breathe. I glance down to see an impenetrable fog beneath me, I fall through that too, leaving me alone in a white cloud, seeing and feeling nothing except the rushing of fog alongside me. I cannot even see my own hands, I whoop with happiness, and the scene transforms, the fog leaving. Beneath me is a post-card perfect beach, pale white sand the colour of ancient paper stretching for miles, reaching forward to meet an azure sea, waves are breaking lazily on the beach, changing the colour from blue to the white of the marshmallow, and the cloud before it. Beneath the semi-transparent water, I can see a coral reef, like the one several near my house in District 4. The coral is in every colour imaginable, and some in colours I never even knew existed. On the other side of the strip of gold is dirt, the colour of khaki-beige, again like the soil my very house is built on.<p>

"Home" I mutter to myself, like it is a foreign word. It tastes weird on my tongue.

The soil is smattered with the occasional green, leafy palm tree. The trees are withered somewhat from the heat of the sun, but they still extend their hands towards me, wafting in the breeze. A smudge of grey on the right hand side of the sparse forest contrasts to the sun setting nearby, dark stormy slate fighting the bright coral sunset, though the sunset is winning this battle. As I hurtle closer and closer to the ocean, I realise the grey is cliffs, none are in District 4, we have beaches. I remember seeing one in a Hunger Games, ages ago. It was a massive rock, in the middle of the ocean; no weapons were at the Cornucopia, only food. People had to smash other people's heads in with rocks. A girl tried to swim away. She drowned, sucked down a whirlpool and eaten by a shark alive.

I stopped liking the colour grey from that point on.

As I picture the games in my head, the rocks change, into the colour of a sea in distress, rolling and writhing. I blink and it returns to its original, tranquil state.

The sun has just risen, and is directly overhead.

The rocky outcrop contains a lake of pure gold, with silver fishes leaping out the water. The ocean is also close enough to make out individual fishes, and to see the shoals that whiz around, without a care in the world. I recognise none of them, saying a lot from a girl from District 4. I blink again, and the ocean leaps backwards, away from me and my initial landing point. I land softly on the sandy beach, warm beneath my feet as I stand up. Surrounded by forests, the beach is hidden from my sight, though I can just about make out the sea through the scraggy trees. I can also hear the crashing of waves loudly, as though I stand right next to a drum.

I don't see any drum though.

This place reminds me of home so much that is physically aches. Even the earth beneath my feet feels like the stuff back home. I pick up some, and watch it crumble through my hands, turning to chalk dust in my hands. I walk forwards, but my surroundings remain the same. A rustling occurs above my head, and I slowly look up. Two people stand, no float, above me. I notice with surprise that I recognise Nymph and Dou above my head. They stand among the clashing lights and colours flashing above their heads. Nymph slaps Dou around the face and Dou leaps at her, and they turn into a swirly ball of colour. Fascinated, I watch, but do not interact or try to prevent the fight. A cannon shot goes off and Nymph flies out the swirly ball, which then vanishes, along with Dou. Curious, I walk over to her, and notice she is not moving. I crouch down as red liquid explodes from all the palm trees, leaves turning dark as the blood cascades over them. The fluid turns brown when it touches the ground, as though drying instantly.

Nymph still lies still on the ground. I stand up again and walk towards her. Before I get to her, I see her vanish before my very eyes, staining the taupe soil a deep maroon. For some reason, none of this surprises me. I look away from her body in time to miss seeing the ground turn from tan to golden-white once more. I glance at it, feeling the heat radiating from it like it did before. When I next look up, the trees have vanished, and I am back on the beach. I lean over and run my fingers through the sand, rejoicing in the warmth from it. I hear the crunch of compressed sand near me, over the sound of the tranquil ocean near me, even over the sound of fish splashing in the sea. Someone is coming towards me. I do not look up.

"How could you?"

I glance up to see who is talking, but I really don't need to, I've spent enough time around that lilting voice from 4. A shock of chestnut brown hair. Marlin. He repeats it again, in a voice he never uses normally, in a voice I have never heard him use when talking to me, ever. His voice is full of anger and hatred, matching his expression of intense pain on his face.

"How. Could. You?" He enunciates each word clearly and loudly, as though I am deaf or dumb. From the way I am acting, saying nothing, an outsider might think that. I gape with my mouth open somewhat, like a fish without air. I feel like that too. He steps over Nymph's not-body towards me, in a menacing way I have also never seen him use.

"How could you do that? She was your friend, you jealous bitch, you killed her. _You Killed Her!" _He says this with so much venom my silence is finally broken.

"No, it didn't… wasn't me… Dou was…"

He ignores me. Either he doesn't believe me, or he doesn't care whether I killed her or not. A boom of a canon. I scream as a tree falls down on top of me, turning into a net as it falls. I run, but the net aims for my legs, entangling them so I trip onto the blue-green carpet. I am on the tribute train nor. I sit up, and attempt to undo the rope net, but it has already turned into hissing snakes which attempt to strike when I reach to them. I look up to Marlin, but he is gone, replaced by Kai, holding a Dirk which I saw him use in training, ages ago. When was that even? Did I see him use it? It probably doesn't matter. Kai has a familiar, cocky expression on his face.

"Kai?" I breathe cautiously; I could probably stop him killing me. Nobody kills their district partner unless it's the final two. Are we in the final two? Are we even in the Hunger Games? He cocks his head to the side and smiles at me in such an arrogant way that I am sure, for one second, that he can read minds. What he says next reaffirms this belief.

"You think I won't kill you?" He says this incredulously, like I must be an idiot to think otherwise. Maybe I was. Am. He continues "Just because I haven't threatened you physically? Just because I have never hurt you? Yet." He smirks again before laughing loudly as I open my mouth to say something, though what, I do not know.

"I never liked you." He says in a hissing voice. "You aren't even a proper Career are you? You liar. Pretender. You aren't even the rage girl; you're just another pathetic baby, wishing you were back home with mummy." I turn red and he laughs again. "A little too close to reality? I thought so, weakling. You'll be dead in 2 days, at the bloodbath. And I'll win and laugh at your death." He smirks at my open mouth again, and raises his Dirk high into the air. The sea beside me has stopped lapping by me lazily, and is now sending spray everywhere, a murky grey, to match the sky. It's hard to believe the sky was so blue a few minutes ago. Or was it hours? The blueness is hidden behind murderous clouds of grey, converging over my head, circling above me.

"Goodbye Rage girl. So sorry you didn't get to see mummy. Oh wait, she dead? You'll be seeing her soon then." He thrusts it at me hard, towards my lungs, I think. I close my eyes before the impact and when I open them again, I am once again floating lazily among marshmallow, orb clouds. The land below me is red now, a raging sea of red. Or maybe blood. I glide over it idly, not really paying it that much attention, from up here, I don't need to. I'm high above it all. I zoom around now, like a gymnast in the air. An Aerogymnast. Funny. I do a couple of pirouettes, spinning on my side like a corkscrew. I feel like I am underwater, though I need no air. As I place my hands together, I realise I do not feel them touching each other. I look at them, and realise I do not have hands; I am just a spirit, floating though the sky. This doesn't trouble me much, so I resume my aerobatic display, doing barrel rolls and somersaults, before finishing with a perfect handstand. How I did this in the air, I do not know.

I soar around for what seems like days, mostly upwards, before hearing a laugh behind me. Kai. Smiling broadly and looking happier than I have ever seen him. I smile back at him, and do a backflip, now I am facing him. I zoom towards him, one hand outstretched to touch him. If I can just reach him, everything will be okay. I know that. No idea how, but I do know that. I am a metre away, and my fingers just manage to brush the side of his forearm when gravity once again starts again. I tumble down, down towards the earth's surface, currently covered with currents of blood. I zoom towards the blood, 100 metres away, 50 metres, less now. I slam into the blood with a force that stops me breathing. Wheezing on the surface of the blood, I tread water for some time, until something slams into my side. I fall under the blood, and it stops me seeing, everything is red and I cannot breath, I cannot breath. I drift further downwards as I struggle to go up, though I don't really know where 'up' is anymore. I start to lose consciousness; I can feel myself slipping away.

_It isn't that bad, _I think to myself _Dying. Like going to sleep._

_Sleep_

_SLEEP_

_**SLEEP**_

**SLEEP**

**SLEEP**

I shoot upwards, sitting up on my bed faster than anything. I breathe quickly, as though still winded from drowning in the blood. I shiver. The thought of it just makes me cringe again. I try to remember why I was in the _bloody_ blood in the first place, but all I can picture is Marlin's face, Marlin holding Nymph's dead body, while stabbing Dou. Did that happen? Everything is slipping away, like dreams do once you have awakened. That dream was… weird. Most definitively. Did I eat cheese before I went to bed? I try to remember dinner, but that has slipped away like the dream. I sit up and reach over for a clock. I pick it up and check the time. A luminous number '6' shows and I groan inwardly. I have to get up. I heave my body out of the bed and put on the same clothes I wore yesterday. I will never understand why people in the Capitol wear different clothes every day. It's such a waste! My clothes from the day before are normally fine, so why wear something else? I wander downstairs and find myself a seat by the mahogany table. I sigh slightly and ready myself to spend some time bored and waiting for daylight.

"Couldn't sleep?" I whirl around and to my surprise see…

**Cliff-hanger! I haven't really done one before so I thought now would be a good time! I had little time to write this, so it's a bit on the short side. Why? Because…**

**I WAS IN CHINA! It was really cool and you can see pictures on my blog at some point. (EatSleepCrap). On another note, I posted a **_**very **_**awesome comment on a YouTube channel a month ago, and got all these really nice replies! I posted that on my tumblr too, as it made me so happy! Thanks for reading, please review AND visit EatSleepCrap.**


	11. The Tested: Private Sessions

**Disclaimer: By this point, I would assume that most people who have common sense would know that I don't own The Hunger Games**

**Sadly, in my life, I have come to learn a very important lesson: most people do not have common sense.**

**It sucks**

**So for the beginning of EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER I have written, I have to explain, in long, boring sentences, that guess what?**

"**What, O great Enzonia?"**

**I DON'T OWN THE HUNGER GAMES.**

"**No way, Enzonia! Tell me more!"**

**Reallly? Fine. This is my story.**

**Well, MY story. I mean, the story about ME. Not the story I wrote that you can skip right down to it. That is, if you know that I don't own The Hunger Games.**

**Okay. Let's start at the beginning. The VERY beginning. Really.**

**One day I was born.**

**Then, a number of long, boring years later, I decided to start to write a story. It was a story about The Hunger Games. It was perfect in every way. Really, except...**

**It turns out that, apparently, I'm technically not allowed to write stories about The Hunger Games unless I owned The Hunger Games. If I didn't, (which I don't) then the I would be arrested, taken to jail, and then hung on the gallows and humiliated in front of all of . Then, to be sure that I'm dead, they would shoot me a few times, tear out all my vital organs, and eat them for dinner. Like Zombies**

**As I said before, it sucks.**

**But then I had an amazing plan! I would write a disclaimer explaining how I didn't own The Hunger Games!**

**It was a genius plan. But as I soon found out, people already had this plan, and I wasn't allowed to sue them over it. So I sued the government over this flaw, but that is another story.**

**Anyway, the other people had boring disclaimers, blah, blah, blah, so I made my own interesting disclaimers.**

**THE END!**

**ONWARDS!**

**(Borrowed from **nony0mous, thanks very much for an awesome disclaimer!)****

**Oh, also, Aalgae isn't going to fall in love with Kai. Urgh, too Clichéd. Unfortunately, I must backtrack somewhat, to fit one of my new ideas in. I'm just so full of them!**

**Chapter 11 – The Tested**

**EARLIER - **_**I wander downstairs and find myself a seat by the mahogany table. I sigh slightly and ready myself to spend some time bored and waiting for daylight.**_

"_**Couldn't sleep?" I whirl around and to my surprise see…**_

**NOW – **I jump up, and spin round, picking up the nearest object to me as I whirl around. All that training yesterday must have paid off, as I feel in control, either now. I hold the object in front of me like the sword I was training with two days ago. (Not very well, I might add, though I learnt more yesterday so I'm not _that _bad… I think.) 30˚ away from your body, slight angle away from your dominant hand – left – to help block oncoming attacks more easily. My body reals off this information easily and automatically, even in the voice of the instructor who taught me to wield a sword. (God, he sounds bored doesn't he? Got anything better to do instead of training teenagers to fight one another?) I clutch the stick hard and firmly in my hands as I prepare to smite my attac… Lyna. My heart is leap-_bloody_-ing with joy at the site of her face. I lower my weapon slightly once I see her expression of superiority and sarcastic-pity. Like normal pity, but without feeling sorry for me. Just contempt then.

"And thus, the great Lyna Fabroski was slain on the eleventh morn. Not by sword or any other weapon bound by mortal coil or any other instrument of death, but by the most vicious weapon of them all. _Apium Graveolens. _The common or garden Celery." Lyna leers at me. Like always.

I look down at my 'weapon' and see that I am indeed holding a stalk of limp Celery like a sword. I now know the reason for Lyna's sarcastic expression. Well, part of the reason. I think she was born with that smirk on her face to be completely honest. Kai probably was too, come to think of it. Suddenly, I get a fleeting image of Kai's face, a smiling Kai, looking happy, before the image vanishes, like the spray falling back into the seas. I frown instantly. Where did that come from? I'm pretty sure I've never seen Kai smile in any way that doesn't involve smirking or sarcasm. Or both at once. I try to forget it. It'll come back when I'm _not _trying to remember it. The mind enjoys messing with you, doesn't it? I attempt to scowl at Lyna, while also attempting to sound cool and collected, like Lyna does. I must say it comes out more like a whinge.

"I could have hurt you, you know?"

Lyna raises an eyebrow, "Really? Celery isn't known for its lethal properties, that's probably why we can eat it. Unless you want to shove a knife down your throat." She snaps the end off the celery stick and swallows it whole, before continuing "Actually, if you did do that, you'd save yourself a lot of pain rather than dying in the Bloodbath."

I chuck the remaining chunk of celery down at the table, irritated - It takes a lot of self-control for me not to chuck it at her stupid face – before sitting down again, on the table this time (there's no Gaia to say '_Manners!' _in a scandalised voice, so what the hell, If I want to sit on a table, I damn well will!)

"What do you want anyway?" I ask, moody now. My earlier attempts at wittiness failed miserably.

Eyebrow number two is raised, creating a matching pair of pale bristly eyebrows hovering above her grey eyes.

"So _touchy_" Lyna says, with as much condescension as she can muster. Otherwise known as _a hell of a lot._ She continues in a fake-hurt voice. I can tell this because I don't think anyone has _ever _hurt Lyna before. She's too bloody thick-skinned! "I was just _rudely _woken up this morning by an antisocial tribute of mine tramping across the hall like a drunken elephant. And when I _kindly _decided to come over here, to see if I could comfort the aforementioned tribute - who has been _moping _around all the live-long day because they might get hurty-wurty – they are incredibly rude to me, as well as threatening me with a lethal fruit!" She smirks at me again, contrasting my scowl quite nicely.

"Celery's a vegetable" I tell her "and if I'm going to die in… two days, I'm allowed to be anti-social. I mean, you're anti-social all the time, what's you excuse?"

Lyna laughs again, and _shockingly _it isn't the nice kind, more like one that makes me even more sure that she's mad (though I getting certain vibes earlier). I sit there, unnerved slightly by the demented laughter. My nervousness-levels are not lessened when I remember that Lyna has ruthlessly killed before, and could easily do it again. I try to back away without anyone (read: Lyna) noticing. I am around 30 cm further away from the deranged murderer when she stops laughing, in a way that unnerves me further.

"Celery is a fruit. And who cares? _I _don't come from district-bloody-8!"

I open my mouth to argue back, and to remind her that District 11 would do celery, not District 8, before remembering who I am talking to

"Anyway, you're right about one thing." She steps forward, covering the foot of distance I had put between me, and her, and leans over, and whispers into my ear.

"You _will _be dead in two days, in the bloodbath, you little coward." She then turns around and skips out of the room. _Right _I think to myself _that wasn't scary in the slightest. Mental note, avoid the schizo-murdering-lunatic next time._

Sadly, my mental notebook is probably out of space now. _Screw it _I think _Erase all mental notes._

I don't think I could remember any of them anyway.

* * *

><p>There is no more training today. Today we have the private sessions, where we must show the Gamemakers that we possess the skills to win, no that we possess the stamina to murder innocent people and, even better, torture them while you're at it. Joy, sweet joy. And that's what I am looking forward to now, with Kai blathering on beside me. Seriously, he won't shut up! He's not normally that talkative, and if I didn't know better, then I'd say that he was nervous. But I do know better, and Kai was trained his whole live for this moment, and so he's not nervous. I, most surprising, am not nervous. I think I'm too numb to feel anything right now. It just doesn't really feel real. I imagine for a second that this is not real, of being at home, on <em>our <em>beach, lying lazily on the sand. Marlin and Nymph are there, and then Nymph goes, quickly. It's evolved into the way _all_ my daydreams evolve. Into another Marlin and Me fantasy. I enjoy myself here for some time until Kai's endless tirade bursts into my daydream.

"…and I was thinking of showing my Dirk skills, because I feel quite confident with that, but maybe I should use spears 'cause, you know, we're District 4 and maybe we should just give them what they expect, but I don't know, maybe if I do I'll be forgotten, but then again, if I do something different maybe then I will end up being forgotten anyway because everyone knows that District 4 is the lesser volunteer District, we almost always get lower than 1 or 2, and I'll get lower than you because you're the rage girl and it doesn't matter what you do so maybe I should use the Dirk but what do you think?"

It takes me a few seconds to realise that he is asking me a question, and a few seconds more to realise what he was saying earlier so I _can _answer. When I do answer, my mind is still on other things (read: Marlin) and so my answer is sort of confused.

"Mar… Kai I don't think it matters what special moves you do with your Dick, I mean, Dirk. You'll do fine, now shut-up because this lift-ride is _really _uncomfortable right now. Also, do you want Loki, Copia and Camulos thinking you're scared?"

Kai shakes his head, still smirking at the knob-reference. "It's not just them, also Pomona."

"Pomona?" I repeat, my mind blank.

"Pomona" he says, "the bulky girl from 11. The one you shouted at."

"Oh" is all I say, but inside I'm thinking more. I have little time to dwell on these thoughts, because before I know it, the lift 'dings' and the doors open. We walk out, and an Avox directs us to a door on the right. We walk through to see all the other tributes, some pacing up and down, some sitting solemnly on the benches opposite the large door. One tribute is openly crying in the corner, while the Careers watch and snicker. I walk over and sit down as far away from Kai and the others as possible, especially Pomona. I think I might be one of the targets higher up their list. Maybe Kai will lower my rating. As I look at Pomona, I realise that they have replaced me, probably with someone better than me. 3 girls, 3 boys. 5 Careers, 1 Reaped. It's pretty obvious to anyone with common sense who will be the first to die when the alliance breaks down. Pomona looks like she might not have any common sense though, so she'll probably stay until she dies.

The big door opens, while a voice on the intercom states "Copia, District 1." Copia strides in, hair down like a golden sheen. Around 5 minutes later, a slightly dazed voice says "Loki, District 9, I mean 1" I catch Kai's eye and mime drinking. He flashes me a nervous smile, which he quickly disguises as a smirk. District 2 comes after them, each session lasting (so far) between 5 and 10 minutes. I wonder if this correlates with the scores. If so, after Kai's go, the session lengths will shorten considerably, except for Pomona. I hope Dou gets a 6 or something. Not too high, not too low. I'd like a 10, but I think I'll get a 9. Maybe an 8. I think through my routine. I thought it up last night. Nothing too risky, but just right for a half-crazy girl. Like me apparently. District 3. These sessions both last 2 minutes. The tributes did look pretty awful. I realise that this means I am next, and before I know it, the intercom is saying "Aalgae, District 4". I flash Kai a smile and walk into the room.

* * *

><p>I stand there for a millisecond, before the door slams shut behind me. This jolts me into moving. I remember my first step with ease. Taking a deep breath, (trying not to look up at the gamemakers, who are leering over the edge at me) I utter a loud war-cry and rush headfirst at the training dummy furthest from me. Diagonally across the hall, just like I remember it. This isn't what I thought I'd be doing, but it seems to impress the gamemakers by the group inhalation that I can hear. I dive at the dummy, and start kicking and biting and scratching randomly. I just need to seem mad for half a minute. After leaving some scratch marks on the surface on the dummy (and one or two bites) I leap up, grab a spear from the rack near the dummy (also planned perfectly, if I do say so myself) and lunge with it into the dummy. It goes all the way through, like I expected it too, and I hand from the spear for a few seconds, before putting my feet on the floor, jumping up, and then putting all my weight onto the spear handle again. It snaps in two. Sadly, this leaves me a little winded, not really what I was hoping for. I lie on the floor for a second or two, clutching the stick which was a spear – hopefully they're not too angry at me for breaking their weapons – and then I make myself sit up. I grab the stick again, and chuck it a the dummy now furthest from me, breaking its arm off. Wow, wasn't expecting that to happen. Lucky, lucky me.<p>

Now what? I panic for a bit as I try to remember what I have to do next. To fill this lapse in my memory, I scream. No idea why. Seemed like a good idea at the time. A light bulb flicks on over my head. I remember now. I grab 4 spears, and a couple of knives, and head over to the ropes. This probably surprises them; I don't think many Careers come to this particular station. I grab some rope, and quickly knot together a belt. Handy and it looks awesome to someone who doesn't come from District 4. I grew up making knots like these. I put the rope-belt on, and attach my spears onto it. Moving onto another part of the station, I weave a quick bag out of leaves. It would break after a day, but who really gives a rat's arse? I only need it for now. I attach it quickly on, wondering how much time has elapsed, and how much I have left. Do they tell us to go? Or do we dismiss ourself? I have secured my weapons on now, and I go to the climbing station. No, not go, I sprint over. I throw myself at the wall, and utter another war cry, now I'm actually enjoying myself again. I manage to get to the top without falling too much, and now for the tricky bit. I have to leap from it to the roof of the weapons stall. Not too hard, but it might wind me. _Well, I've done stupider things _I think, while running my fingers through my short hair. I scream again and push myself away from the wall…

…And I land safely on the netted roof of the weapons stall. I'm quite surprised that it didn't break under the strain (though that would have looked very cool), but now it's worked, so onto stage two. I walk forwards, cautiously, towards the edge. When I arrive there, I pull the spears out. I have a perfect view of the Camouflage station. Aiming carefully with the spears (my spear aim is better than my knife aim) I chuck one at the bucket of red dye. It pierces the top _exactly_. Not actually a hard shot, the bucket's around 1m2, and it's only about 5 m away, so it was pretty hard for me to miss to be honest. I don't tell the Gamemakers that though. They sound impressed, from the sound of a few murmurs. Or maybe they're gossiping. It's really hard to tell from here.

I pick another spear and aim for the brown. It's not the best shade, but it'll do. I miss that one, though it does hit the edible berries poster in the middle, so I can pretend it did what I wanted it to do. That's why I brought 4 spears. I aim for brown again, and hit it, causing the colour of dried blood to spill onto the floor. The last spear was also a spare, so I chuck it at the first spear, and it embeds pretty close, around 10 cm from it. The knives now. I chuck one after another at the spear (I wasn't going to use them originally, but I have them now so what the heck!) Most of them hit, except one that wobbles slightly 50cm away and falls off. I jump off the stall roof net and land neatly on the floor. Another surprise. I pick up the fallen knife and smear it in the red and brown camouflage paint. Perfect. Looks like blood. Picking up a handful of the paint in my left hand, I run over to another dummy, and smear my hand across its throat, before stabbing it in the same place. The muddy-red seems to burn against the clear white of the dummy. I then turn to the gamemakers are let my hands fall to my side, allowing the blood-coloured mixture to drip slowly off my hands.

"You may go" the fat one tells me. Though they're all pretty fat. I nod and leave.

_Well _I think to myself _I think that went OK._

**OK, I have had 2 exams this week, and I have one tomorrow, and one the day after, and I'm sitting here writing this :O. If I fail Maths or Geography it will be 's fault! I must leave now and do a Geography GCSE mock. Now review or I will fail! IF YOU DO NOT REVIEW ANY FAILURES WILL BE YOUR FAULT! Another note, I do not like it when in Fanfics, the main character does an awesome routine and gets a 10, so I will make something clear. In my Hunger Games Universe, the Careers plan their routine (Kai was just stressing) so what Aalgae did wasn't that extreme. In case you are wondering, Copia did some acrobatics in her underware, which is why the gamemakers were so dazed. I really don't know why. That's sort of why Careers score so high, they plan what they do, they make sparks and leap everywhere and generally look like Ninjas. The Gamemakers think Aal is a Career, so they sort of expected what she was going to do. Just in case you wanted to know. Now…**

**REVIEW!**


	12. The Shouter: Scores and Interviews

**Training scores and interviews now! The next chapter is of the games, so I need to plan them! I only have certain points planned, so I need to work out in which order everything occurs! Also, she's going to be a bit of a loner, because I always felt that most people did not have allies in the games, and fanfiction characters **_**always **_**have allies. That really annoys me for some reason, don't ask me why. Now on to…**

**EDIT: OMG FORGOT A DISCLAIMER. Now here it is :EDIT**

**Foxface's hair is red, **

**Caesar's is Blue, **

**I don't own the Hunger Games **

**and neither do you!**

**The Shouter**

The evening arrives, along with the promise of results and the training scores. Kai is sitting opposite me, nervously repeating what he did in the training session, and continually asking me, Lyna, Hydrao or anyone who will listen to him, whether they think it merits an 8 or higher.

"I need to get at least an 8" he tells me "It's like, an unspoken rule of the alliance, Camulos told me."

"Then it's not really unspoken, is it?" I reply.

He looks confused, and I sigh inwardly, my attempts at wittiness once again thwarted.

Kai opens his mouth to say something when a shrill, trumpety noise fills the room. The Panem anthem. I start to breath quickly. This is it, my score and my future. Or whether I have a future. A droning man appears on the screen, and welcomes us all to this _joyous_ occasion. I roll my eyes inwardly. And then, he begins with the scores. With my empty, mental notebook, I prepare to copy down the scores of all the tributes I care about, and those that scare me.

"And now, the scores." He announces, monotonously. _Finally_ I think inwardly.

"District 1 is up first, with the male being" he consults his notebook with his glasses. "Loki Slowe, achieving a…"

He consults his notebook once again.

"9" I imagine Loki smiling dully in the District 1 room, and Copia leaning forwards in anticipation of her score.

"And Copia Burdis is awarded a 9 as well."

"Camulos Harris from 2 is awarded a 10" Kai exhales loudly, the bar's set high for Careers this year, except… "Nyx Russell, twin of the victor Hemera, who if you remember got a 10, is presented with a 7. Obviously skill isn't genetic." Poor Nyx. 8's are pretty low for a Career, but 7? She'll be the first to go if, no, when the Careers break up. District 3 gets lower scores, like normal, with 4s and 5s. And then it's us. Kai goes first, and he leans so far forward his head's almost touching the TV screen.

"And now onto some actually _interesting _scores" the man on TV smirks. He obviously doesn't think District 3 did that well. "District 4. Kai Nieme is granted an 8." Kai smiles next to me, and instantly becomes cocky again.

"Obviously, they must have been _blind _to give me less than an 8." He smirks.

"Really?" I ask "Because only 5 minutes ago, you asked me whether I thought you'd get a 6, because you were _sure _you would get a 6."

Kai scowls, but has no time to retort because now the announcer is announcing my score.

"And the girl you'll probably remember from the opening ceremonies, is given a 9." My heart sinks a little. I was sort of hoping for a 10, though it was really a vain hope. 9's around Career average. It's quite good. Kai scowls at me, as I feel a smile spread slowly around my face. Lyna scowls too, but Hydrao beams at me, happy I didn't do _that _badly. I lean back. 9 is good, I'll get sponsors. Now I've got my score out of the way, I can focus on the other tributes.

The girl from 5 bests her counterpart from her District, who only gets a 3. I feel quite sorry for him. 12 and in the Hunger Games. I cannot allow myself to feel sorry for other tributes now though. The girl (called Din Joules) who I saw swing that mace so well, gets an 8, levelling her with some of the Careers (i.e. Kai) and beating others (Nyx). District 6 I ignore, as I can't honestly believe they're bluffing with their low levels. The girl from 7 I remember from the reaping, the ghost girl, gets a 6, which is reasonably good, but not good enough that she is likely to be targeted especially, unlike the girl from 5.

Both from 8 I ignore, I'm too busy worrying for Dou and Demeter. I hope they get at least a 6, though I'm not too sure of this. Demeter didn't turn up for the first day of training.

"And now District 9" the man drones "Dou Ruben, 7, whilst his sister Demeter receives a…" he smirks "2."

What happened with Demeter? Dou did well, but Demeter? Maybe she freaked out? Broke down and cried? Sometimes I wish private training sessions weren't so… _Private._

I'm too busy pondering the mystery of Demeter's 2, that I miss the scores for District 10 (Though Kai assures me that they weren't much, and average.) Next is 11, meaning it's almost all over. The boy gets a 4, which is pretty average considering his height and general un-impressiveness, while the large girl who left the 10+11 alliance to join the Careers gets a 9. Same as me and most of the Careers. That probably means she will be accepted to the Careers, which means worse odd for everyone in the games. More hunters, less prey. And everyone's prey in this game.

"And it's all over, except for 12, but don't expect much" the man informs us. I wonder if anyone has ever punched him in the face. I really want to, and I think the ones from 12 might want to as well.

"Gerani Cole, 7." A high-average score, though he'll probably get a _lot _of sponsors. He's what Nymph would call "cute". He moves onto the small brunette. "Medea Tabby, 7." Again, medium-high, though I don't think she'll get as many sponsors as her counterpart in male form, she's short, runty and seems to be perpetually scowling. Hey! Maybe she should meet Kai! Or Lyna! Doing some quick mental maths, I realise that despite the announcer's snarky comment, District 12 has the highest overall score, excluding the Careers, and so they actually have a good chance this time. Lucky for them, though I don't think this will happen again. 12 almost _never _win.

"Good, good, good!" Gaia squeals "Now off to bed! Both of you, you've got a big day tomorrow, interviews can break your chances, and you wouldn't want that! Don't want to lose, do you?"

No Gaia, I don't want to lose and die. Shock. Horror.

* * *

><p>A good night's sleep is vital if you about to commence your final day on earth, or at least, that's what I feel. In fact, I've had the best night's sleep I've had in a long time. I almost don't want to leave the bed, maybe I could just train here?<p>

My hopeful thinking is destroyed when Gaia comes in, screeching about timetabling and how I could have wreaked all _her _chances of being moved up to District 1. I chuck my pillow at her and get up, now grumpy as hell. I want to sleep.

I tell this to Kai as we wait in the dining room, but he tells me to stop whining. I humph and have a little sulk until Lyna comes in; it's never a good idea to sulk around Lyna. Hydrao follows as normal, like a pathetic looking puppy. It's hard to believe he shouted at me on the train.

"Right, interviews are the most important part of the games" Lyna tells us, looking like a stern teacher.

"Not if someone's above you, holding an axe" Kai mutters to me. I disguise my giggle as burp.

Lyna gives me a look, and moves on. "Any idea for your angle? It must suit you, so Aalgae, don't try for sexy."

I scowl again, and Lyna smirks in response.

"I dunno, I was thinking confident and suave" Kai says. Lyna turns her gaze to me.

"I'd have thought it was obvious what my angle would be." I say; mock surprise. I loll my tongue out my mouth and make my eyes lose focus. "I'm _crazy_."

Lyna rolls her eyes, "Fine then, but if you want my honest advice, don't overdo it, or the Gamemakers won't like it. Don't want an utterly insane victor."

Lyna gave me useful, unsarcastic advice? Isn't that one of the 10 signs of the apocalypse?

* * *

><p>We spent the next few hours walking and talking 'properly' as Hydrao tells me. Apparently I've been walking wrong my entire life. The <em>shame <em>of it. Some good things come out of the session. After around 5 failed attempts at walking in high heels, and one final attempt where I tripped and fell off the stage, Hydrao has agreed that I don't have to wear high heels. I sighed with relief when I heard that news, I'm the least graceful person on this planet, I seem to trip over thin air half the time.

Then we leave for lunch, where I stuff myself again. I _love _the Capitol food, especially those oranges. Next stop is stylists, where I get de-skinned again, and the stylists put me in a short, black dress. They want to position my hair into the 'perfect' slicked-back style, but I refuse, and I make them leave it in its current, messy and frizzy style. It makes me look madder, and also, more like me.

And before I know it, I am waiting here, in the queue to be interviewed, my heart pumping at a million miles an hour. I am really nervous now, though I keep my face blank, if slightly crazy looking. I need to balance my craziness levels with my 'sponsor-me-please-I-might-actually-win-I'm-not-that-mad levels. Luckily, I don't go first, District 1 starts (hence the number, '1'.) and the females are first. So I go before Kai and I get to sit back and watch the others try/succeed/fail at their chosen angle. It happens every year, though the Careers are almost always the best, I think they might have trained for this as well as the actual killing/murder part of the games.

The anthem starts, trumpety as usual. Accompanying it is Claudius, the narrator of the actual games. (Not the pillock who gives us the scores.)

"WELCOME! TO THE 34TH HUNGER GAMES… INTERVIEWS. YOUR HOST, AS EVER, CAESAR FLICKERMAN!"

Cue Caesar's cheesy entrance into the room via bicycle. Seriously, who writes this stuff?

A disturbing thought suddenly crosses my mind.

Will they make me go on a bicycle too?

Caesar picks up the microphone and falls onto the sofa faking laziness. Cue the audience's applause. These people are _easy_ to please.

"First on is that _gorgeous _lady I'm sure many of the men in here would long to meet…. Copia Burdis!"

She walks on. No, she struts on, looking like a peacock in a bright, short dress, shorter than mine, causing wolf-whistles to emanate from the crowd. Copia smiles and blows kisses in return, causing the crowd to go wild. It takes about 1 minute of her 3 minutes for the crowd to calm down, while Copia's ditzy smile has turned slowly into a scowl at her time being wasted.

Caesar asks the first question "I apologise for those men, though can you blame them, with someone like you on the stage? What do you think of your outfit?" Cue ditzy replies. She's not going for sexy like I thought; she's going for complete idiot who looks sexy. It's a good act, though sadly I know her to be reasonably intelligent. Worse luck for me.

Next up is Loki, who tries for the same one as Kai, confident, but comes across as an utter idiot. He probably won't lose many sponsors, he's massive. I bet Camulos tries for the same approach. Hang on, is the one I called Loki actually Camulos? I can't remember which one is which. I _think _Camulos is District 1, the one who just went up, but that might have been Loki. I peruse this line of thought while Nyx comes up, with the angle of sexy. It doesn't come off that well. One part of this problem is that Copia has already come, sort of covering that section with the ditzy act. When Nyx finishes, she half runs off, looking upset. She obviously got the sense that she didn't do that well. Sadly, I think that might be true, at least as far as the Career tributes are involved.

The tributes from 3 don't do that well, and the girl starts crying at one point. Caesar makes some wise-crack which causes the audience to laugh. I can't remember what it was; I was too busy worrying about my interview.

Then it is my turn. I feel different to how I felt before my private session, and then I felt calm, now I'm panic stricken.

"And now, for the girl from 4! Give it up for Aalgae Kiandra!" The audience cheers and I skip on stage, putting on an innocent smile that is making me feel guilty just pretending to use it. I take a seat opposite Caesar and smile a wide smile, before wiping it off my face entirely. This stops the cheering. This makes me want to smile, but I censor it.

"So Aalgae, anything you'd like to say to these lovely people in the audience?"

We'd prepared for this question already, so I say, while smiling again "Nothing can happen more beautiful than death."

The crowd does not respond to this, just murmurs slightly.

"So, are you looking forward to dying then?" Caesar asks with a wink.

The audience laughs. I do not. We'd gone through this scenario, of Caesar making a joke of it. Hydrao told me that it was vital to keep it serious if I wanted to keep my image. And apparently that's all I've got left at the moment.

"It's a quote." I snap back. "Read some poetry."

I don't actually read much poetry, but they don't need to know that. The audience quietens slightly. Caesar tries to regain himself.

"I do know some love poetry." He turns to the audience "anyone heard of Lima Bane?"

I groan inwardly as the crowd applauses madly. The only poet in the Capitol. The word 'Poet' is used loosely, as she's the worst poet ever, even someone like me can tell that. We have to read them all the time in school. Her worst poem was 'Love is blue, just like you.' Please don't quote from that, please…

Caesar winks at the crowd. "Love is blue, just like you. I love you, you love me too. What's a man to do?"

I groan audibly and Caesar turns to me. "Don't you like Lima Bane?" I open my mouth to say something sarcastic, but remember who I'm supposed to be, so I just say. "No."

Caesar raises his eyebrow at me "Really, a pretty girl like you? Never falling in love? I'm sure there are boys back home!"

I lean forward slightly "Actually, there have been several boys."

The audience woots and makes other stupid sounds.

The next question I am asked is predictable "And could you put any names to these faces?"

"To be honest… "I lean forward even more now, practically parallel to the ground. The whole audience seems to lean forward with me.

I whisper (in a stage whisper so no-one misses.) "There wasn't much left of their faces after I finished with them."

I don't laugh, which seems to confuse some of the audience. They have fallen silent. Finally. I lean back and revel in the effect I have created. The awkwardness of the silence is brilliant.

Around 10 seconds later, Caesar tries again. You've got to admire him for trying. "So you didn't volunteer, did you? So you're not our typical District 4 tribute then."

I laugh. It's incredibly fun, unnerving the audience. I wait a bit, until the silence is awkward again, and say "I prefer to let the prey come to me. Why put all the effort in?"

I glance over at Kai; he gives me a thumbs up, but then mimes something. He's miming screaming. What the hell? I'm not going to… Oh. More rage. I am the rage girl after all.

The audience laughs at my joke, and I glare at them. I raise my voice slightly, got to do this slowly, I can't suddenly become shouty.

"What made you think I was joking?" I raise my voice again, consider standing up, but decide against it. I'll leave that until the end. I begin to scream "Do you think I'm a joke!"

No response, not even stupid people laughing.

I smile slowly as Caesar asks the last question "One last question Aalgae, as out time's sadly running out" (he doesn't look _that _sad to be honest) "if you do win this"

"When" I interrupt.

He smiles, happy to get an answer that doesn't involve screaming. "_When _you win this, what would you like to do as your talent? Or maybe just in your free time."

I freeze; I haven't practiced for this question.

_Need something, Need something, Need something._

Something violent? No, too obvious. Something overly childish? The Capitol might not get the Irony. I think while my time to give an answer ticks away.

Why not just be honest? I think I could do get away with it if it seemed OK. What am I good at though? Fishing, probably, but I don't think I can do that? Comedy? I'm the rage girl for crying out loud! I can't be funny! I just spent the entire interview trying to supress my inner, sarcastic comedian. Then the answer comes to me. What have I been doing the last 3 days? Have I done it well? Yes, I think I have, the audience certainly seems to think so.

I stand up now. Seemed like the right time. I did say I'd end with this.

"You know what I'd do? Acting."

I turn round.

"Seems I'm pretty good at it."

Thank goodness the Capitolites are so thick they won't get this. I am halfway to the exit when I get inspiration. I put my hand into a fist, extending only my index finger and little finger. I then put my thumb across the two closed fingers and hold up the hand sign, not looking at the audience, and keep it up until I leave the stage.

The sign is well known in 4, and also 5 (I've heard through Hunger Games). It means free thought, rebellion, anger and hatred of censorship. All those things into one, simple hand gesture.

No-one in the Capitol will know what it means.

But I will. And Kai, and Marlin and everyone I left at home. They'll know that I haven't changed yet, I just have to pretend I have. Now hidden from sight, I exhale loudly. Kai gives me another thumbs up, but before I have the chance to talk to him he leaves to get interviewed. He acts his angle well, mostly because he isn't acting, he's really is confident, cocky and arrogant. He even gets asked about me at one point.

"Now Kai, how do you feel being around someone so…" Caesar leans in, and says in a stage whisper "unstable."

Kai smirks. For the millionth time this evening. "Hopefully she's so unstable she'll explode when surrounded by other tributes, lessen the odds for me a bit."

The audience laughs at this, and I give a little smile too.

Next on is the girl who got an 8, the girl with the mace. She goes for mysterious, and succeeds. By the time Caesar's finished with her, everyone in the audience has their own theory of how she got her 8. None of them are near the truth though. Who would think a thin, malnourished girl from 5 would be able to use a mace?

The ghost girl I saw from 7 hardly seems to answer any of the questions at all, answering with 'Yes' and 'No' only. The most she says in her entire interview is. 'I'm Ok' when Caesar asks how she feels.

Demeter bursts into tears on her go, causing pitying looks from the audience. That's bad, pity will not sponsor you. Only fear will. No-one fears Demeter.

After Demeter's outbreak of flooding, Dou seems even quieter than normal.

"Dou, poor, poor, Dou. How did you feel when you were reaped alongside Demeter?" Caesar asks. He's a good actor. I can hardly tell that he doesn't care whether Dou dies.

"I was worried" Dou says in a small voice "I know only one person can win the games, and it isn't likely that the victor will be either of us"

The audience 'awws' and pretends to sympathise for the rest of the interview, while Dou gets quieter and quieter. By the time the interview is over, I can barely hear his voice, even though he talks through a microphone.

The massive girl from 11, Pomona, doesn't have an angle; she just sits there looking massive for most of the interview. She could have done the same thing in the scoring sessions and probably still get a 8 or higher. Maybe she did do that.

The handsome boy from 12 spends most of the time posing. I'm glad I'm not doing sexy or anything related to looks, imagine having to pose for the Capitol like he does! I'm not attractive enough for sexy, hence the mad act. He gets questioned about his 7, and answers as sexily as he can. Half the women in the hall have fainted by this point.

Medea, the girl from 12 is around half my height, and probably a quarter of my weight. She got a 7 though, so she has to be good at something. It obviously isn't weaponry, though now I think about it, no-one thought the girl from 5 would know how to swing a mace. She comes off as cheeky and witty, though I didn't get that from training sessions. I can't remember seeing her at training sessions, let alone seeing her do anything worth a '7'.

* * *

><p>The walk back to the room seems quicker than ever, as the next time I will leave, I may never come back. Dinner is quiet too, except for Kai, who's nervously talking again, non-stop. God he's annoying. Nothing worse than being about to <em>freaking die <em>and you can't even have a moment of solitude! I feel like telling him to shut up, but I decide against it, you don't want an angry Kai chasing you, do you?

Just an angry _other _22 tributes.

Joy, sweet joy.

**I just want you to know, my other continuous fanfiction has half as many views as this, and the same number of reviewers, and it's only been up for 3 or 4 days. Point being, read this more, make others read this and VISIT MY OTHER FANFICTION! It's called Pivotal, Pivoting. It's may even become my main one if you readers aren't careful…**


	13. The Informed: Information

**This is just a list of all the tributes in case you are unable to tell them apart! Just a quickie! I also need to add a bit of story to follow the rules so…**

I sit on my bed. This could be the last sleep I ever get, so I should really make it count. But first, I need a notebook. Yes, after all of my mental notebooking I have actually found one. I open it up and smile, twisting my seaweed bracelet around my wrist. I'm going to make good use of it. First, I'm going to list all the things I know about the other tributes, everything I can remember now, including me. I'm pretty sure I'm a tribute too. I lean over to pick up the brochure for the games I asked Gaia to get me yesterday, along with this plain notebook (which is sadly blue too though). It has all the names of the tributes I can't remember, and their scores. This could save my life, learning what everyone can do. Motivated now, I pick up my pencil and begin to write.

_Name – __**Loki Slowe**_

_Age – 18_

_Gender – Male_

_District – 1_

_Training Score – 9_

_Likelihood of winning – I'd say about 11% _

_Other Notes – Sadly good with most weapons, as a Career. Probably going to be major _

So the one from 1 was Loki. I try to fix his troll-like face in my mind. It might save my life tomorrow, knowing which of the trolls is which.

_Name – __**Copia Burdis**_

_Age – 18_

_Gender – Female_

_District – 1_

_Training Score – 9_

_Likelihood of winning – About the same, so 11% _

_Other Notes – She can use weapons as a Career, and is manipulative, she can wind the men around her little finger too._

Why did she go for 'ditzy' is my question. She could pull of sexy and ditzy will just be a drawback in the games. She might be unable to act intelligent in front of the cameras. Actually, that'll give me an advantage. I start to thank her for choosing such a stupid angle.

_Name – __**Camulos Harris**_

_Age – 18_

_Gender – Male_

_District – 2_

_Training Score – 10_

_Likelihood of winning – Highest I'd say. Highest score, highest percentage. 13% _

_Other Notes – Got a high score and is a Career. Probably going to get to the final two at the very least._

Camulos is slightly shorter than Loki. I try to remember that, but I'll have forgotten it by tomorrow. My memory for faces sucks.

_Name – __**Nyx Russell**_

_Age – 15_

_Gender – Female_

_District – 2_

_Training Score – 7_

_Likelihood of winning – As the nicest Career, only about 7% _

_Other Notes – She did train with her sister for one year, and knows how the games work. Also her mentor has more motivation too. Try not to kill her._

Poor Nyx. I hope I don't have to kill her.

I knew all this already, but I have to check the brochure for the next two tributes. District 3 didn't stand out for me, and I never felt the need to learn their names, or watch them in the training sessions.

_Name – __**Eckle Powell**_

_Age – 14_

_Gender – Male_

_District – 3_

_Training Score – 4_

_Likelihood of winning – Pitying low. Around 0.5%, if I'm being generous._

_Other Notes – Probably not a big contender in these games. Career fodder._

How can I talk so callously about these children? He's younger than Raym, and yet I'm just labelling them like they're objects, not people with families, friends and livelihoods.

_Name – __**Sumeria Rees**_

_Age – 16_

_Gender – Female_

_District – 3_

_Training Score – 5_

_Likelihood of winning – Maybe more than Eckle, she scored higher and she's older too. I'd give her 1%._

_Other Notes – Still not much interest in her. Unlike most District 3 tributes, she doesn't seem that clever. Maybe she'll run to the Cornucopia._

But I need to do this to win. I think.

_Name – __**Kai Nieme**_

_Age – 18_

_Gender – Male_

_District – 4_

_Training Score – 8_

_Likelihood of winning – Less Copia, way higher than me and Nyx. Maybe 10%_

_Other Notes – He's grown on me._

Woo! Me next. (Please note my sarcasm.) I'll try to be as honest as possible, but I'm not sure if I will end up being that honest. I tend to be a bit arrogant, though nowhere near Kai levels!

_Name – __**Aal Kiandra**_

_Age – 17_

_Gender – Female_

_District – 4_

_Training Score – 9 (Ain't I happy for it)_

_Likelihood of winning – I'd give myself 6%, less than Copia, but higher than Nyx._

_Other Notes – God, do I have to fill this in? I know who I am!_

_Name – __**Worke Electra**_

_Age – 12_

_Gender – Male_

_District – 5_

_Training Score – 3_

_Likelihood of winning – See District 3 boy. 0.5%_

_Other Notes – See above._

_Name – __**Din Joules**_

_Age – 14_

_Gender – Female_

_District – 5_

_Training Score – 8_

_Likelihood of winning – Higher than 3. I've seen her with a mace. 6%_

_Other Notes – Will she be able to find a mace? Does she have any other skills? I've no idea._

_Name – __**Hermes Watt**_

_Age – 15_

_Gender – Male_

_District – 6_

_Training Score – 4_

_Likelihood of winning – I'd give him a 1% chance. _

_Other Notes – See above. He's not that promising. For himself. Good for me, bad for him._

_Name – __**Ransom Murdoch**_

_Age – 14_

_Gender – Female_

_District – 6_

_Training Score – 5_

_Likelihood of winning – More than her District partner. Maybe a 1.5%_

_Other Notes – Maybe she's hiding something? I don't think she is though._

_Name – __**Pape Ashen**_

_Age – 18_

_Gender – Male_

_District – 7_

_Training Score – 5_

_Likelihood of winning – He's still 18, so a 2%. He did only get a 5 though._

_Other Notes – Watch out. He might have got a 5 but he's still 18 and could crush me._

How did an 18 year old get a 5? They normally get more just due to size, and Pape is pretty tall and big. Big as in chubby too, he wouldn't need food in the Arena, and he could fall off a tree and squash me flat.

_Name – __**Medeina Pimme**_

_Age – 15_

_Gender – Female_

_District – 7_

_Training Score – 6_

_Likelihood of winning – She got a 6, so same as her partner. 2%_

_Other Notes – She's weird, but that might not mean she'll win. What did she show to get a 6 though?_

She hasn't spoken much since she got here, and I'm not sure whether she's nervous, shy or just like this normally.

_Name – __**Toga Cotton**_

_Age – 13_

_Gender – Male_

_District – 8_

_Training Score – 5_

_Likelihood of winning – I'll give him what I've given all the Fodders, 0.5%_

_Other Notes – See above. _

_Name – __**Diana Batik**_

_Age – 12_

_Gender – Female_

_District – 8_

_Training Score – 4_

_Likelihood of winning – Even less than Toga, but she's a fodder too, so 0.5%_

_Other Notes – See above and see my lack-of-interest face._

_Name – __**Dou Ruben**_

_Age – 14_

_Gender – Male_

_District – 9_

_Training Score – 6_

_Likelihood of winning – I'd like him to win if me and Kai couldn't. 2% though._

_Other Notes – He can use some weapons, I saw him. He also knows some snares, though not as many as his sister, but his sister only got a 2!_

_Name – __**Demeter Ruben**_

_Age – 15_

_Gender – Female_

_District – 9_

_Training Score – 2_

_Likelihood of winning – I'll give her 1% as I'm being nice._

_Other Notes – Poor Demeter. She probably won't cope, being in the games. She does know her snares though, if she can pull herself together._

_Name – __**Horus Bouef**_

_Age – 18_

_Gender – Male_

_District – 10_

_Training Score – 5_

_Likelihood of winning – He's 18, but still a weakling. Kai's short too though. 1.5%_

_Other Notes – I'm bored of writing now. Nothing. Nul, Nil, Nout and Zero._

_Name – __**Hathor Mutton**_

_Age – 17_

_Gender – Female_

_District – 10_

_Training Score – 5_

_Likelihood of winning – She's pretty average, so average score of… 1%_

_Other Notes – She probably won't win._

Now I know how the Gamemakers feel, this is _boring _to write.

_Name – __**Aster Victoire**_

_Age – 16_

_Gender – Male_

_District – 11_

_Training Score – 4_

_Likelihood of winning – Doesn't compare to Pomona's. 1%_

_Other Notes – See above._

_Name – __**Pomona Delia**_

_Age – 18_

_Gender – Female_

_District – 11_

_Training Score – 5_

_Likelihood of winning – As she's so big, 10%_

_Other Notes – Scary, huge. She volunteered! What the hell's wrong with her?_

_Name – __**Gerani Cole**_

_Age – 17_

_Gender – Male_

_District – 12_

_Training Score – 7_

_Likelihood of winning – Pretty good. He's attractive so sponsors too! 5.5%_

_Other Notes – None._

_Name – __**Medea Tabby**_

_Age – 15_

_Gender – Female_

_District – 12_

_Training Score – 7_

_Likelihood of winning – She got a 7, but she's way shorter than Gerani so 4%_

_Other Notes – None_

So that's done, maybe I can refer back to it in…

Damn, I can't take it with me, can I? That was a waste of time. I throw the notebook against the wall and fall into a fitful sleep. Fitful is probably going to be the only type of sleep I get in the Arena too.


	14. Rising: The Games begin!

**The games are beginning at the end of this chapter! Next chapter is the bloodbath and the rest of the first day, and the countdown too! I enjoyed writing this chapter, especially the little fear/rage freak out Aalgae has at the end. Oh Aalgae, you crazy, weird lunatic. Also, other note, is Aalgae a Mary Sue? Feel free to give your honest opinion, because I'm worried! Also, if she is, tell me how to improve her.**

**Also, chapter-name-style-change now the Games have begun.**

**Disclaiming time!**

**I do not own the Hunger Games. Please, Suzanne Collins, don't sue me!**

**Please?**

**No, what do you mean it's my fault. I put a disclaimer!**

**I PUT A DISCLAIMER!**

**I forgot chapter 14? FORGIVE ME PLEASE!**

**NO, NOT THE MUTTS, DON'T RELEASE THE MUTTS! I'LL CHANGE IT! I PROMISE.**

***Quick Edit***

**Please don't sue me… *whimper***

**Rising**

When I wake up, I feel something hanging over me, and for a couple of seconds I remain blissfully ignorant. Then I remember.

Today is the day I die.

I walk out the room feeling so numb, you could probably stab me and I wouldn't feel a thing.

_Then again, someone's probably planning that._

I try to wipe images of my body lying bloody and torn out of my mind, but it's a lot harder than it seems. I picture a 'happy place', like I was taught in Primary school once, after I punched Justine Finch unconscious. Now _there's _a nice thought. I reminisce about Justine falling as I punch her, after she called me fat, ugly, spoilt and told me that if I was reaped she hoped I survived the bloodbath so I could be tortured to death instead.

Lovely girl, that Justine.

* * *

><p>I really should stuff my face now; I have no idea when I'll be able to eat again. <em>If <em>I eat again. My brain corrects for me.

Kai is also quite quiet, though he seems to be full of excitement rather than worry.

"Are you going to run to the Cornucopia Aal?" He asks, positively jumping with excitement.

I've only ever seen him like this once before, and that was before the private training sessions. That means, most likely, he's nervous again.

"No idea. I'll go with the flow of the moment" I say, as sarcastically as I can manage.

Kai rolls his eyes and begins to interrogate Lyna instead, who looks thoroughly pissed by the end of breakfast. After Kai asks her whether she thinks there'll be massive Cheese Mutts, she flips, toppling the bowl of soup all over Kai.

She then storms out the room, muttering ominously, though I only hear the words 'inferior' 'death' 'long and painful' before the door slams shut. The awkwardness that follows is unbearable, so

Hydrao says gawkily "Um… Have you finished eating?"

I nod in response, though I still take 2 more loaves of bread to eat on the way to the tube that will take me to the arena, after we've been transported there in the first place. Kai shakes his head, and proceeds to stuff himself full of the remaining food.

While he does this, I allow my mind to drift, thinking of the previous games. In the first game I remember - the 26th Hunger Games when I was 9 - was not a nice year. Well, maybe it was for the Capitol, nice and violent. Just the way they like it. The arena had been awful, an overgrown garden full of nettles and deadly plants. There had been no animal mutts that year, just these _plant _things, like the Venus fly trap that had legs, which wandered around the maze of a greenhouse, attacking all within reach. I shudder involuntarily as I remember watching the 13 year old slowly be digested by the monster. The bloodbath hadn't been that bad though, leaving about 6 dead, and only 1 more died that day. Sadly, the deaths racked up quickly, most succumbing to the plants or the humidity of the place, though some were killed by Careers.

I glance over at Kai. He wouldn't… Would he? The Careers on TV always looked so vicious, torturing those they caught after the initial few minutes of the game. I can't believe Kai would do that, not to another human being.

But all the other tributes must have been young, innocent children at one point, and at some point they must have stopped caring about others.

I can imagine Loki or Camulos torturing a 12 year old, and probably Copia too, but Kai? No, not him. I pray that I am right, and that I never see him doing something like that.

Somehow, the image of him killing doesn't make me nervous, angry or even sad. It just makes me fill with a feeling of resignation. Of course, people have to die, and if I have to live, I'll probably kill too. Kai opens his mouth to talk, through mouthfuls of chewed up, spit covered bread.

"Um weddy choo guo." He asks

I roll my eyes "English, please"

Another huge swallow, "I'm ready to go now."

Hydrao looks nervously at the door Lyna just vanished through, but decides against getting her. Either because he doesn't think that we need to say goodbye to her, or because he really, _really, _doesn't want to confront her. I can't hold it against him; I'd probably do the same thing too.

He confirms my belief when he says "You'll be OK without Lyna right?"

Without waiting for an answer he stands up and walks out the room.

Kai raises an eyebrow "I'm assuming that's the cue for us to leave."

I shrug, and stand up, and we walk out the door of floor 4, to take the lifts back down. Before the door closes, I turn to face the room. _Goodbye obscenely blue room. _I say silently. _Thanks for being actually rather comfortable. Hope the next person to use my room likes the colour blue._

Then I turn around and follow Kai into the lifts for what will be the last time.

* * *

><p>I'm on a Hovercraft.<p>

We learnt about them in school. They tried to explain to us how they worked but no-one listened or paid any attention at all.

We weren't clever; we were from 4! Not 3 or one of the other clever Districts. We had people who wanted to go to the games to win and bring District 4 (and themselves) glory. How were idiots like that supposed to understand electromagnetism or the science behind levitation without the usage of blown air, superheated air, or magic? Seriously, when the teacher asked me how the Hovercraft worked, I told her it used elves blood. She didn't know how to take a joke. 1 month later and I was still in detention.

The worst bit was that Nymph understood it all perfectly and tried to explain to me, and I still didn't get it, even though Marlin kept rolling his eyes every time I said.

"But that doesn't explain how…"

I wish I could see them now, one more time before I die. I wish I had told Marlin how I feel,

I wish I had had my first kiss,

I wish I hadn't been so stupid all the way through school and above all,

I wish I hadn't been chosen for these games.

But I was, and I'm sitting next to Kai as the hovercraft rises through the air. I have the sudden urge to kiss him. Not because I feel any romantic attachment to him, on the contrary, I find him _way _too short, but I don't want to die like this, without having a kiss. I'm 17 for crying out loud! I'm getting… No, I _would _be getting married in a few years.

Now I'm never going to experience any of that. Not only has the Capitol robbed me of my life, it has also robbed me of my future.

A woman comes over, holding what looks like a massive needle; I really hope she's not going to stab that in my arm.

"This won't hurt" she tells me, pointing the needle at my right arm.

I consider telling her where I think she should shove the needle, but decide against it, and hold out my arm. Surprisingly, it doesn't hurt, sliding through my skin like a knife through butter. She presses the end of the needle and it makes a small 'bleep'. She withdraws it, and it makes a double 'bleep' and she moves over to Kai beside me. I look down at my arm, and to my surprise, see nothing but my slightly grey tinged skin, unblemished.

I look up and ask the woman "What was that?"

She misunderstands my question, and instead of telling me how she managed to stab me in the bloody arm without leaving a mark, she tells me what the injection was.

"Tracker, we don't want to lose you in the Arena!" she says cheerfully

I shiver, imagining a small, metal instrument floating around my body, getting stuck in my arteries. I try to push those images out of my head; I don't need any other gory thoughts getting stuck in my head right now.

* * *

><p>When we land, we are escorted to our respective rooms by peacekeepers, though I think everyone is too nervous or excited to do anything. The excited ones would be Kai, Copia and the two ogres.<p>

The two ogres' real names are Loki and Camulos, but I think 'ogres' suits them better. Dull, muscly and violent, they seem to live to serve Copia, who seems to be pretending to date both of them at once. I look over at her now, and see that she is hanging off one of the two, who is grinning dimly. The other one is standing several feet away, watching with a stupid smile on his face, like he doesn't even understand what's going on, that Copia is cheating on him before his very eyes! Copia now nibbles his ear, and I look away, disgusted. I'm not sure if it's worse that she's cheating, or that she seems to be eating her boyfriends whole!

I walk away, and Kai catches my expression, and mimes passionately kissing an imaginary woman. I laugh out loud, and give him a smile. He waves to me, and I wave back. I am just about to enter my room when I realise I haven't said goodbye. I turn round and call to Kai's retreating back.

The last thing I say to him is "Do you promise not to kill me?"

Kai turns round, grins and shouts back to me "Practice what you preach, and I'll see what I can do!"

He then walks away. I enter the room, and let the door to my room slams shut and I turn around, hoping for a couple of minutes silence and planning before I enter the Games. I turn around in time to see the one person I really don't want to spend my final minutes with…

* * *

><p>Stuck in a room for what could possibly be the last 10 minutes of my life, with Junia Ketta, otherwise known as the worst stylist in the universe…<p>

What did I do to get sent to this hell?

Or more precisely, what am I going to do?

I stare aimlessly at the wall behind Junia's head, determined not to talk to her. She stands by the door, still not entering. She still remembers the last time we met, and the puke related insults we shared. Well, when I say shared…

I wonder whether, considering my new found image, she feels she had a lucky escape.

I sort of wish she was right, and I spend 5 of the last 10 minutes of my life happily picturing Junia dying from drowning in her own puke.

This only keeps my mind off what's going to happen for a short period of time, and I realise I should probably be thinking tactics now, I don't even know if I'm going to run for the Cornucopia at the moment!

"Come over here" I only just hear the small voice coming from the door.

Junia.

I come over, to see the clothes I will wear in the games. Thin, drabs of clothes, a long (blue), cotton tank top is laid out on the top. That will provide _no _protection for my arms, and I doubt cotton is good body armour either. I realise that it is not all blue, thankfully, blue isn't the best protective material. I assume 12 will get black, and 2 will get brown, though the other District's colours I do not know.

Along the edges are green patches, which don't appear to be sown on, or joined in any way. I rip off my top, not caring that Junia is in the room, and pull the tank top over my head. It's baggy, so it's probably going to be hot in the Arena.

Hopefully an island. With lots of clear, blue ocean.

Beneath the top is a pair of black shorts, also cotton, which should reach around half-way between my hips and my knees. I scowl. I hate shorts, especially the stupidly short ones. I never wear anything less than knee high!

The shoes are last, and these I like. Thick trainers, with nice squishy soles. When I put them on, I can imagine jumping high, out the Arena and to safety. Flying high in the air. I once again get the vivid image of Kai smiling. I shake my head, I still can't remember where that image came from, and if I think of it, it'll just drive me crazy.

There are still some things left on the table, including a hair tie (not that I need it! My hair's too short to tie up! That's probably a positive, as I won't have to worry about it blowing in my face and obscuring my vision. As well as this, it means one less part of my body which someone chasing me can reach out and grab.)

I take the hair tie anyway, and attempt to tie my hair up. The result is a ponytail around 1 inch long, containing about a third of my hair, while the rest is still hanging by my ears. I might be able to make a trap out of it, or flick someone with it from a distance!

Once again my memory takes me back to school, and flicking elastic bands at the teacher while she wasn't looking. A great wave of sadness overcomes me, and I've heard enough from the crazed old man who sits by the pier to know that what I am currently experiencing is nostalgia. And here I was thinking you couldn't experience nostalgia unless you were at least 60 years old! I smile ruefully and turn to Junia, I should apologise really for shouting all those insults.

I turn to the door and say "Junia I…"

I look around. Where the hell has she got to? I whirl around, checking she's not hiding in a corner somewhere. She's not though, and she's definitely not in the room any more.

The door slams beside me, and I realise that Junia must have left the room.

The _bastard._ I think, furiously. And I was going to apologise to her! I was right to call her those things! Leaving me here alone! I kick the table the clothes were on, hard. I feel a smirk cross my face as a splintering sound wrenches through the air.

I need to calm down; I don't want to be making stupid decisions while in the Arena. In the Arena, stupid decisions tend to be the last decision you ever make.

Taking deep, calming breaths, I close my eyes and try to think of an idyllic place, a nice river, lazily bobbing past the river bank where ducks are happily chirping as a fish flies by, flapping it's fins lazily in the…

_Kill. Me. Now._

I open my eyes and to my surprise see the table before me splintered more; my subconscious must have been so pissed off at the cheesiness of my daydream that it subconsciously lashed out.

_Oh well, if my subconscious decides the best thing for me to do in my last few minutes is to kick a table, who am I to disagree?_

I draw my leg back and slam it into the table leg, hard. It groans under the strain, beginning to crack.

_THAT'S RIGHT! TRY TO SEND ME TO. MY. DEATH?_

I punctuate each word with a kick, and with a final death cry, the table leg snaps, collapsing into a pile on the floor.

I look at it, panting slowly. I remember something. I am the only person, _tribute _to ever use this room, so this table will remain broken forever. I smile as I imagine the tour guide coming round, showing the Capitol idiots this room, telling them about the half-crazy girl from 4, who smashed the room up before she left and smeared her face with blood in the opening ceremonies.

_Well, _I think _better make an effort if the precious people at the Capitol are going to see this._

I grab the lamp from the side, and hold it by the ornate crystal bottom. With all the force I can muster, I swing it hard at the tube that I will use to enter the games. As I suspected, not glass but plastic. The tube isn't glass. The lamp, however, is and it shatters loudly, cascading shards all over the floor. I laugh, looking at the destruction I have caused. A voice from the speaker overhead informs me I have 3 minutes of life left.

_Better go quicker then, won't I?_

I look around wildly, for something else to break. I grab the chair Junia sat on and slam it into the wall, scraping off some of the blue paint, and leaving a 2 inch wide scar on the wall where the leg hit. I try again, harder now, and delight in the sound of the 'crack' which accompanies the chair leg flying off and spinning to the other side of the room with a clatter.

The room's too bare; they don't want tributes taking anything extra with them, though I could probably take a shard of the glass with me. I decide against it. If the Gamemakers decide it's wrong, they'll just kill me in the most evil way they can think of. Which tends to be _pretty _evil.

Now nothing is left for me to destroy, but at least I don't feel angry any more.

I feel full of adrenaline.

"1 minute. Tributes please enter the tube." The intercom drones.

I look at it, and for one second, I think about just running, out and away, not going to the games. But it's a stupid idea; they'll just catch me, where can I run to? I'm only the most famous tribute in this game!

"30 seconds. Please escort the remaining tributes to the tube for evacuation."

That makes me sound like some sort of diarrhoea, 'evacuate'. I edge one step closer to the tube, nervous to enter, in case it just gases me to death. But that's a stupid thought, there's no fun in gassing the tributes to death, we all know the Capitol could kill us all in an instant if they really wanted to,

"15 seconds. If you do not enter the tube within 5 seconds, peacekeepers will be sent to your room"

Ah. That was probably a message to me; I look up and see a small security camera. I give it a cheery wave and walk over to the tube and stand in it.

"10 seconds, please stand back from the edge of the doors."

Yeah, don't want us getting hurt, do you? Don't want us to ruin your fun, do you?

The doors begin to slide shut, and I feel my heart doing a kind of mad drumroll against my ribs, throwing itself bodily against my chest, in a pitiful attempt to escape this prison of a body. My brain seems to be shutting down, if anything. I can feel time slowing down around me. 10 seconds? That announcement was ages ago. Maybe, _maybe _they've stopped the games, maybe I can go…

That's when the tube slowly starts to rise. So slowly, I'm sure they're doing it on purpose, to raise the tension levels and make us even more stressed then we already are. I hear the intercom counting down, a second a minute. I clutch my wrist, frantically turning the seaweed bracelet that is my token in the vain hope that it will save me.

**5**

It can't be 5 seconds since the doors closed? That was years ago! I grew up in those 5 seconds, grew more mature. Too old, I'm too old for the games now! Please!

**4**

Maybe they picked the wrong name! Maybe it was Nymph, it was Nymph, they chose her brother didn't they? Maybe the Capitol wanted them together, and I was picked by accident! That's what happened! I need to tell someone.

**3**

It wasn't me, _It wasn't me. __It wasn't me.__**It wasn't me.**__**IT WASN'T ME! **_

**2**

They must know? They have to know! They're going to come and save me now, they are going to save me and send someone else, I can't be in the games, I can't, the doors are stopping my escape and I can see the ground fall slowly. No, no, no, no, no, no…

**1**

The earth is level with my hips now, and I'm too blinded by the sun to properly look around and take in my surroundings. _Don't fall off, Don't fall off. _My brain replies madly. Despite my anger and fear, I don't want to die that way, falling off a plinth into a bed of explosives.

**0**

Cladius Templesmith's booming voice rings through the Arena, making my blood turn to ice in my veins.

"**LET THE 34****TH**** HUNGER GAMES BEGIN!"**

The light has gone now, and I begin to squint around my surroundings as he shouts those words.

The first thing I see is straight in front of me, behind the Cornucopia.

I smile.

That makes things easier.


	15. Bleeding

**Ok, to be honest, the first bit would probably take longer than 60 seconds, but, but… but… SHUT UP AND STOP JUDGING ME! *Sob number two*. Why does everyone judge me! I just want to be loved! Isn't that right mother!**

**Skeleton in the corner - Look, you're going to be sued by Suzanne Collins for stealing her stuff anyway, don't make it worse by letting Hitchcock sue you for making a stupid reference to 'Psycho'. Sheesh, what's wrong with you?**

**Me - Many things, including bad breath, Aspergers and incontinen...**

**Readers - STFU! OMG, TMI!**

**Me - Please don't use acronyms. I'll cry if you use them again, is that what you want? I'll just go cry in a corner then.**

**Readers - Don't do that!**

**Me - Will you review this chapter then?**

**Readers - Well, we're sort of busy... Doing other things.**

**Me - Fine then, _be _like that!**

***sob***

**Disclaimer – I do not own the Hunger Games, I barely own a Wii as it is, and I had to give my brother the Xbox yesterday.**

**Bleeding**

60 seconds. That's the time I have to make up a plan I really should have done last night, instead of wasting time on that _stupid _notebook.

But at least I have an advantage.

The scenery reminds me of District 4, with the rust coloured dirt and crunchy dirt. Well, I assume it's crunchy; I don't want to stand on it to check. I like both of my legs firmly attached to my body, thank you very much.

In front of me is an azure sea, glistening with the sunlight reflecting off it, lazily sweeping backwards and forwards with a calming 'swoosh' sound. I can see flashes of colour and shades which only means one thing to someone from District 4, Fish. So I won't starve then. The point we are at now seems to be the intersection between 4 habitats, if you could call them that. They all 'flow' into each other seamlessly. In front of me is the sea, and the beach, and I think I can make out a small island in the centre of the sea. Sea is good; hardly anyone except 4 can swim, so that gives me a definite advantage. Wonder if I could make it to the island?

Probably.

To my left is a forest, though it's being a bit generous calling it that. With the reddy-brown dirt, it contrasts the few, scraggy palm trees sticking out, with leaves of deepest green. I can see through it for what seems like miles, and it provides no protection from the elements. I also don't think someone could climb one, as the bare trunks provide little leverage. Maybe the Capitol got bored of watching tributes from 7 and 11 hiding up trees for most of the game?

Well, I can't climb trees either, so that probably helps me too.

To the right of me is what seems like a large, black wall, 100 feet high, maybe more, with a few handholds here and there, but no protection if you fell. _Not going to climb that anyway _I think. I strain my neck around, to see if it continues, and it does, going on for miles. In fact, I squint hard at a fuzzy shape on the cliff; I think there's a waterfall over there, maybe 2 miles away. I look up at the dark blob above me. Are we supposed to climb that? Because I really don't think that's possible. Even those who can climb, from 7 or 11, are used to trees not sheer rock cliffs. 2 might be able to do it, seeing as they do quarrying.

Where the rocky table meets the sea, an almost vertical cliff is formed, though I think I can see a small path winding near the top, though you'd need to climb 20 feet to get to it.

I turn and look behind me, where a vast plain stretches out as far as the eye can see, complete with a few animals, though they seem vicious looking to me. There are no trees and no vegetation as far as I can see. I'd call it a desert rather than a plain to be honest.

A meandering river cuts its way through the desolate landscape, passing by the cliff (maybe it came from the waterfall?) and making its way past the Cornucopia, cutting it down the middle. Now I come to think about it, half of the tributes' paths are unaffected by the river, while the other half (me included) have a_ bloody river _in the way of us, 10 feet wide, but god-knows how deep. It keeps us on the side of the woods.

I could swim it easily, but I'm betting that there aren't just fish in there too. The Capitol has probably put something a little 'extra' into that river, hopefully trying to kill some of us of before the games.

I glance around to look at the other tributes on my side of the river, the harder side…

(Just after I check the time quickly. I glance up at the big clock counting down to death and see that I still have 50 seconds to go, and I've spent 10 of the 60 looking at the scenery. Though that could probably come in useful too, I know where everything is now, and where to go for water.)

I'm right next to the river, and I can feel occasional splashes leaping up from it. I can see Copia and Loki/Camulos/Troll number 1, on the other side of it from me, which is a good thing, as they'd be the first people to kill me if I got in their way. Next to them is the ghost girl from 7, still looking as out of it as normal, fiddling with her hair in a dreamy sort of way. She _really _shouldn't do that when standing next to someone like Loki/Camulos/Troll number 1.

On her left I see the giant of a girl from 11, Pomona, staring at the ghost girl in a way that makes me feel guilty for not doing anything. She'll probably be dead in… 45 seconds. Next to her I can make out Nyx, 12's boy and 12's girl, who's fiddling with her hair like the ghost girl, but in a totally different way. Whereas the ghost girl was doing it absent mindedly, or even out of _boredom,_ 12's girl looks terrified, sandwiched between her high-scoring district partner and…

Kai. He doesn't catch my eye as he's so busy staring hungrily at the pile of weapons across the river. I feel a flash of pity sweep through my system. He can't wait for the games to start.

I try to forget Kai, and my progress is helped when I see Dou next to him, nervously looking up at Kai in what can only be described as a look of fear. What's he doing on this side, with a bunch of killers?

Then it hits me. On this side are all of the high-scorers. Dou and the ghost girl got 6s, but everyone else on this side got higher than that. Maybe they want less of a bloodbath this year and want to slow the Careers down so the 'lesser' tributes can get some stuff and survive. Or maybe they want the higher ranked tributes to fight, now? Though that seems pretty unlikely, I think everyone on this side, with the possible exception of Dou, wants to get across that river as soon as possible

Dou _really _shouldn't be on this side.

He shouldn't be on any side.

He shouldn't be here at all.

Next to him is Camulos/Loki/Troll Number 2, who is dully looking at the river in surprise, as if wondering why some water is in the way between him and his precious weaponry. Maybe he'll try to walk past across it and drown?

And right next to me is 5's girl, Noise or something similar. It would really help if I had that stupid notebook with me right now! She's looking determinedly at the pie of weapons, and it's pretty obvious what she's going to do when the gong rings out.

Now what am I going to do?

20 seconds gone, 40 remain for me to decide.

_40._

I could get across that river in a flash, and grab something quickly, and sprint off towards the sea before anyone knew I was even there!

_38_

But how do I know that the other Careers haven't already learnt to swim? I might be a better swimmer, but I doubt I could win a fight with them, weaponless. Especially one of the trolls.

_36_

But if I don't get a weapon, how am I supposed to fight back when one of them attacks me? Just put my faith in blind luck to get me out? No chance.

_34_

What about sponsors? I'm sure someone out there will have sponsored the rage girl from 4, the Capitol lap that sort of thing up. One of them could sponsor me a weapon.

_32_

And I think sponsors will still want to help me if I wimp out at the Cornucopia? I'm supposed to be mad! And it's mad to go into the bloodbath! It'll help my image.

_30_

Mad? Mad! If it's mad then why the hell am I considering doing it? I should run, just as far away as possible. Just hope that seems crazy enough for the Capitol.

_28_

Not everything's across that damn river! I can see a knife in front of me, and if I got that, I could make a spear! Then I'd be in with a chance!

_26_

But still, you're diving into the action, where all the people who _want you dead_ are going to be in… 25 seconds. Do you really want to go there? Why not run round, to the sea? You could swim along the shore and find a beach or something.

_24_

But still… the urge to get something is overwhelming, but the sea is only 50 or so feet away, a couple of feet behind the tributes opposite me. I could go round, and then quickly nab a smaller item on the outside.

_22_

But still, that's pretty dangerous. By the time I get round, the Careers will be armed, and the small prey will have run of, meaning _I'll _be their next target, and unarmed.

_20_

But it's a better plan than anything else I can think of at the moment, and I'm in a pretty stressful situation. What could I grab though?

_18_

The tribute on the opposite side of the river, next to it, is probably going to run to the centre. I can see it in his eyes. In front of him is a small pen-knife that he's not looking at, and I could easily get it.

_16_

Right in front of the knife is a small pack, camouflaged so that it looks almost exactly like the sand beneath it. It's not _that far_ in.

_14_

But the boy is looking at that, I think he's from 6. He'd get it before I did. And it's still pretty far in. I'm not getting it. If I'm going to the cliffs, then a bright white bag wouldn't be that useful anyway.

_12_

Staring around, I can see a small bag of nuts between the river-tribute and the one next to him, which I could get with no trouble. It would keep me going as I made myself some spears.

_10_

Again, anything extra I grab is going to take me that much longer to leave, and a tiny bit of time can mean death in this game.

_8_

I position myself away from the cornucopia, imagining a path behind the pedestals, straight to the sea, then round, behind the river.

_6_

I'll grab the knife, and the nuts, and maybe that loaf of bread a bit further in. Maybe I should get the spear? I can see one right near the Cornucopia…

_4_

Shut up! Not getting it! Going for those 3 things, _nothing else! _OK inner mad-person voice?

_2_

Good, now I should really run.

_0_

An echoing gong rings out throughout the Arena, and we all run our ways, fear and excitement flooding all of us, in separate amounts. I sprint in a circle, behind the podiums, and no-one tries to stop me.

I glance to my right, and see the boy I was watching who may have been from 6, get stabbed in the face by Copia, who's arrived at the Cornucopia already, arming herself with throwing knives. How did she get across the river so fast? Kai's not even there yet!

I try to ignore the impossibility of Copia's swimming skills; I have more important things to do, such as, say, staying alive.

I reach the sea just as I see Dou whip into the forest, clutching a backpack. And I thought he was going to just leave. The sea's still 'swooshing', though the sound is muffled slightly by the sound of screams and blades slicing through bodies. I dive at the sea, and enter the world I've missed so much.

How did I survive the last few days without the sea? Without the calm, interior of it while the world's going mad?

I really don't want to leave, so I hold my breath, keeping myself under for as long as possible. While I'm under here I can pretend that it's not happening, that I'm back in District 4, having a swim in the Ocean.

But I can't stay here forever.

I surface, and swim silently to the other side of the river, watching the Trolls kill the other-siders, while the remaining non-Careers are running away.

_Crap_

I spent too long in the sea; I never expected the bloodbath to be over that quickly.

But I'm not leaving with nothing!

I swim to the shore, listening to the Careers discuss tactics, assuming everyone is gone. I take a quick, sweeping look of the group and see (to my relief) that no-one has a ranged weapon.

"Who did you manage to get?" I hear the voice of Copia ask from the Cornucopia. They've entered it; perhaps they're setting up camp in there. _Excellent _I think. They won't be able to see me sneak to the pack. Maybe I _could _go for the spear. I try to exit the water quietly, freezing with fear at every wave.

"I think I got the ones from 10." A dull voice sounds. One of the two Trolls. If I can't tell them apart when I can see them, how can I do it with their voices.

A shrill laugh "Matching set!" someone calls

I think that's Copia.

The alliance between 10 and 11 is non-existent now then, if Pomona and her partner are all that are left of it, and Pomona's in the Careers.

I'm out of the water now, sneaking towards the knife first, praying that they cannot hear the sand crunching under my feet as I sneak to the knife.

"What about you sea-boy?" I hear another dull voice ask.

"I got a few" Kai says nonchalantly, as I try (with increasing desperation) to filter out the voices coming from the Cornucopia.

I am at the knife now, and I bend down, and snatch it up, and see why no-one wanted it in the first place! Its blade is about 1 inch long, and could only kill if you held it to someone's throat. Fat lot of good it'll be. I look at the bag of nuts to my left, and consider leaving now, just grabbing the nuts and going.

But I'm mad, aren't I?

I sneak towards the Cornucopia, growing confident now.

"Yeah?" Copia asks "Which ones? Was it the other farmer?"

Almost there, I reach out and brush my fingers against the nearest spear, flailing my hand at it in an attempt to grab it. All that happens is the spear brushes higher up on my fingers. The Cornucopia's not on the sand, or the rusty soil, it's made up of sea shells and other crunchy substances. I can hardly walk on it to pick up the spears, so I'm leaning over, trying hard not to fall. I lean over more.

"Oh, just the girl from 9 I think" Kai replies coolly.

CRASH!

I have fallen onto the pile of spears, and I really don't think the Careers missed that sound, no matter how stupid they are. I grab a spear in my left hand, and start to run, swearing loudly. I wonder if they're bleeping me out in the Capitol?

Kai runs out first, and sees me, running towards the sea with a spear and a stupid knife. I feel _really _under equipped.

"What's happening out…. Oh." Copia screams, as she runs out and sees me, closely followed by Nyx, Pomona and the Trolls.

Half-way to the sea.

I glance over my shoulder again, and see Loki/Camulos/Troll number 1 pick up a spear from the pile and prepare to throw it at me.

_Crap, Crap, Crap, Crap, Crap, Crap, Crap._

I put in another burst of speed and I hear a 'whoosh' as the spear flies over my head and lands in the sea. I laugh. I can get that spear too. Feeling cocky now, I lean over and pick another bag up, this one black. Tossing it over my shoulder I run for the sea, arms thrashing wildly from side to side.

Another whoosh.

Pain erupts from the arm carrying the spear, and I gasp, releasing the spear due to pure instinct alone. I want to stop to examine my injuries, and to pick up the spear, but I don't think I have time.

I can hear the whoosh of another spear flying my way.

With a slight scream of panic I leap into the water.

Pain, worse than anything I've ever experienced fills me, effectively paralysing me for the moment. My shoulder feels like I've stuck it into a vat of acid rather than a salty sea.

I blindly strike upwards, eyes watering in pain, filling the sea with more salt water.

I can barely tell which way is up now.

The world tumbles.

I break through the surface with one arm, the left one dangling uselessly beside me. But I'm alive.

I turn to face the Careers, who look both peeved and stunned at my survival, I must have been under the water for some time.

"SO LONG SUCKERS!" I yell at them, and, trying to ignore the stabbing pain in my shoulder, I dive down and feel for the spear on the sea floor.

When I surface, holding it, Copia gives a little shriek of terror, and runs into their 'base', leaving only Kai outside. I give him a little salute and dive back under the water, going towards the cliff.

* * *

><p>I swim for what seems like hours, though it's more like 5 minutes. I follow the cliff face carefully, wary of currents that might try to drag me under. And I still haven't found a beach! There's got to be one, every time there's a cliff, there's beaches. Every <em>year! <em>I swim on more, trying to ignore the throbbing of my shoulder. The pains gone down, but it still hurts like hell.

YES!

In front of me I can see a streak of gold, breaking the dull pattern of grey I've been swimming past for ages.

I swim up to it and collapse on the shore, with the lapping of my feet soothing me. I really want to sleep, but I shouldn't. I should really move on to the next beach too, but I just want to sit still for a bit and organise. I'll swim on to another beach later.

I sit up, and dump my stuff down, putting the spear on the left, and emptying the black bag's contents onto the sand. The spear that I originally got is lost, but I got the one of the sea floor to replace it, as well as my crappy knife. The small pile of things from the bag is less than impressive. A black water bottle that's half full (I resist the temptation to drink it all now, and take one small sip), a black blanket, a bag of fruit (replacing the one I lost originally), a black torch(think they've got a theme going, everything in the bag's black), a black strip of cloth and finally, a small box of matches.

I chuck everything back in the bag, and focus my attention on my shoulder. The throbbing resumes now I have no distraction to keep it away.

I crane my neck to look at the back, and see, to my horror, a knife.

Sticking clean out of the top of my arm, bottom of my shoulder, while blood dribbles down my arm. It really should be bleeding more, but I've been in the sea, and the salt has helped to close the wound up, as well as the knife stuck in it. I should take it out, I need a knife, and I don't think it's hit anything vital.

I grasp the handle, causing the blade to vibrate, sending little shivers of pain throughout my body. I almost gasp in pain, but I realise I need to stay strong, or at least, pretend to.

A countdown. That's what I need, to pull this out. On the count of 3.

One…

Tw…BOOM!

I fall over, and my hand wrenched out the knife causing me to scream in agony. The boom rings out, and another sounds after it. The cannons. I put my hand over the wound, trying to stench the bleeding, while counting the cannons. 11. Almost half of the competition is gone already. I'll find out who's dead at night, but I'll be somewhere else then.

My shoulder's still bleeding, but not in a way that suggests danger. I should wash it in salt to keep away infection, but I can't bring myself to go back in the sea with an open wound. I open up the rucksack, and grab the strip of cloth. Tying it tightly, it stops most of the blood coming out, and feels relatively comfortable. Seems waterproof too.

I shiver slightly. It's cold, well no, it's actually quite warm, but they've dressed us in shorts and sleeveless T-shirts! I need to find somewhere to spend the night. I sigh sadly. I can't stay here, the Careers know I went this was, and I screamed too. I need to move on.

* * *

><p>I pass 3 beaches, and decide that the one after seems safe enough. I'm freezing now, the hand clutching the spear seems to be frozen to it and I don't think I could swim much longer. How long was that? Half an hour I think. I haven't swum this far in ages. I beach myself on the beach like a whale, and just lie there, listening to the crashing waves. It was around 3 when the games started, so it's probably about 3.30 now, so sunset could be anytime from 2 hours away to 6 hours away, depending on what the Gamemakers want. I move further up the shore, to the place where the cliff is. The cliff feels cool to the touch, and I move away from it, shivering again.<p>

Cold.

I open the rucksack and (glad to see it was waterproof like the cloth) bring out the blanket, which is right next to the crappy knife. I settle myself down, lying on the sand and listening to the waves as I warm up.

It's quite comfy here…

If you ignore the death, that is….

* * *

><p>When I open my eyes it is darker. While the sun is still up, I can see pink tinges emerging on my right, spreading round the cliff. I wonder for a second why I awoke, but then I recognise the trumpety tune, the anthem. Time to find out about Dou.<p>

My thoughts rove to Demeter, and Kai, and I feel revulsion rise up in my stomach.

The anthem finishes, and the small, terrified faces of the tributes from 3 are the first to appear, meaning the Careers have survived, unless…

The boy from 5 is next, and relief swamps me, even though I feel nothing but disgust when I think of Kai.

She was so young…

The girl from 5 survives, unsurprisingly, as does the boy from 6. The girl from 6, the boy from 7 (ghost girl survives) and both from 8 are next to light up the sky. And I feel a stab of hope (a well as a stab of pain as I move my left arm). Maybe Kai didn't kill Demeter, maybe it was a mistake…

Demeter's fear-struck face fills the sky, and I slump backwards more, even though I am already lying down. Kai killed her. _Kai killed her! _I fail to realise this means Dou survived, and must now know his sister is dead.

The ones from 10 are dead too, and the district 11 boy.

I realise that this means that all on my side of the river survived, and only one from the other side survived.

What are the Capitol? Goddamn _fortune-tellers?_


	16. Reanimating: ZOMBIES!

**Who said something about Zombies? How did you know that they're my **_**favourite **_**horror film scary thingy. I love Zombies! Thank you for the **_**brilliant **_**review Guest person, and prepare to see some Zombies! These were originally going to be sea monsters, but then your brilliant review came along, and I just wanted to make you happy! So… **

**Will you review?**

**Disclaimer – I own a pet Zombie. Called Rupert Murdoch. But I don't own the Games O' Hunger. **

**Reanimating**

* * *

><p>A groan next to me.<p>

I groan in response to the sound, angry at my sleep being disturbed.

"Shut up Movii!" I mumble, she _always _wakes me up early in the mornings and it isn't fair.

I grab her wrist and attempt to push her out of the bed we share, so at least I can get a good night's sleep. She groans in response again.

"Seriously Movii, if you don't shut up I might…"

Hang on just one second…

My eyes fly open and I take in my surroundings.

Dark skies, black cliff, blanket.

I'm not in my house am I?

And Movii is not here as far as I am aware.

I relax at this, recognising this means I can take another few minutes as a nap, something I rarely get back at home. I sink back under the blanket, and try to get back to sleep again, the harsh fibres of the blanket making my skin itch.

A groan next to me again.

Wait.

If Movii isn't here, who's groaning?

I jump up out from under the blanket, and grab my pack and spear from next to me. I swing the pack onto my back, ready to escape the tribute who's hunting me.

Oh crap…

Is it the Careers?

Dou?

Kai?

Or none of the above.

In front of me stands a boy.

He's small, and I immediately recognise him as the one from district 5. 12 years old, the youngest here.

Something is wrong, _really _wrong.

He stands in front of me, looking like a rag doll, one leg trailing uselessly behind him; foot pointed the wrong way around, towards the sea. His skin, which was once a tan colour, is now hanging loosely off his skeleton, a green tinge which does nothing to disguise the deep maroon colour of blood that I can see surrounding his neck. His dark hair has fallen out, leaving clumps of it here and there, as if someone had taken it to themselves to pull out all his hair, and left the job unfinished.

That wasn't even the worst part.

The majority of his face is just…

No longer there.

I can make out a nose, and the bottom half of a lip, along with what seems to be an eye, hanging loosely from the socket, swaying as he moves forward, the foot dragging behind it like deadweight.

I hold in the impulse to vomit, feeling the bitter tang sting the back of my throat.

Something is seriously wrong here, even if you consider this scrap of skin and flesh normal.

Which it really, _really _isn't.

He moans again, and I really can't blame him, and I notice that most of his teeth have separated from his mouth.

The bitter tang increases in strength.

I have a nagging feeling I have forgotten something, as I back away from the boy, crawling away under the blanket, unwilling to kill just yet. Why did he come here? Why is he still here when I am holding a weapon, and he has nothing?

I wince as I place my left arm on the arm, and when I move my right arm, putting all the pressure on my left, I gasp in pain as my arm collapses under my weight, useless.

The knife must have hit the muscle yesterday, and I'm sure that the only thing keeping me swimming yesterday was adrenalin.

I can feel my body's reaction to the blood loss too, my breathing is quick and shallow, and when I look at my hands, I can see that they have become pale and pallid.

I use my right hand to push myself up, sitting upright now. I pick the spear up with my right hand (the only working one at the moment) and aim it at the boy's face.

Can I kill a 12 year old?

"Go away" I say loudly, attempting to keep the fear out of my voice. "Leave now and I won't hurt you"

He looks at me, and for a few, glorious seconds, I think he might be leaving, but he opens his mouth and emits a piteous moan.

The nagging sensation grows in intensity, when suddenly realisation hits me, winding me like a shark has rammed into me, and I stumble backwards, become entangled in the blanket at my feet and trip, the wall flying up to meet my head.

The boy from District 5 is dead.

I saw his face in the sky yesterday.

The boy in front of me is dead.

And he wants me dead too.

My head seems to explode, and a sharp 'crack' rents the air, reminding me dully of walnuts we get for Christmas.

The pain explodes with my head, causing dizziness to befall me. I stagger upright, feeling unsteady on my feet. I hold my arm out to the wall for support, and moan in agony as my left arm collapses beneath me again, and I crumple to the sand again.

The boy is only 7 feet away now.

I push myself up the wall again, using my right arm as leverage, holding the spear out to him, trying to keep the nausea and dizziness from overcoming me. My ears are ringing and I am finding it hard to see, dots of bright lights are exploding around my field of vision, but I try to keep looking at the thing that was once a 12 year old boy.

He stretches his arm out, and it brushes mine, cold as death itself, and I panic, thrusting the spear into his abdomen, panic and calmness filling my bloodstream.

He, _it _looks down at the spear sticking out of its heart.

Then he looks back up to me.

And he keeps coming.

I pull the spear out, my dizziness leaving now, replaced by adrenaline, as I try again, this time aiming for the thing's head, and a sickening squelch fills the air as it enters.

The thing falls down, and I remove the spear, relief filling me.

I sink down to the floor, and vomit, all over the corpse.

No cannon rings out.

He _was _dead.

I close my eyes, trying to make the blurry vision leave when something touches my arm, cold and clammy.

I jump up, ready to spear the boy again.

But it isn't him.

No…

* * *

><p>Surrounding me, climbing up the beach in various states of decay are 10 teenagers, 11 if you include the one I killed.<p>

11 teenagers died in the bloodbath.

And the Capitol couldn't leave them dead, could they?

I spring into action, preparing to stab the nearest one, the boy from 11, who's actually missing an arm, while the other one is hanging on by a thread of muscle, tissue and skin.

Fighting the stab of revulsion, I aim for the head again, that's what worked for the other one.

He falls, and I hold the spear again, looking around for the next target.

They're all around me, and I feel despair rise inside me. Something closes around my elbow and I whirl around, stabbing instinctively at the intruder.

An inhuman scream pierces the air as the small girl's chest explodes with blood.

_I didn't know they could scream._

That's when my heart drops out my body.

The girl is Demeter, Demi, Dou's sister. She looks relatively uninjured compared to the others, a small ribbon of red around her neck the only sign of injury, excluding the spear I thrust into her.

_At least Kai made it quick._

I lower my spear. I can't kill her again; I can't kill _any _of them again.

Another cold limb grabs mine and I wrench it off, backing into the knobbly black wall of the cliff.

That's _it!_

I grab the nearest rock with my arm, and pull hard, not even noticing the black cloth which shows where the knife hit earlier. I pull myself up, and grab another hand hold. Whilst pulling my legs off the ground, I feel hands grab at my ankle, and I kick out, hearing the sickening crack of a skull as my foot hits its target. I swing my weight onto my good arm, and reach for a small ledge with the other, pulling myself onto it.

It's around 10 feet of the ground, but I can still hear their wails.

I curl into a ball, just wanting to sit there, not wanting to have to make any decisions at all.

But I can't stay here forever, the Capitol will see to that.

I smell the tang of iron in the air again, and I notice that the wound from yesterday has opened, blood seeping through the black fabric. Hopefully I can deal with that later.

I still feel woozy and dizzy from the blow to my head, and I put to fingers to the back of my head, and feel the dampness and stickiness that can only mean one thing. I can feel my heartbeat start to slow down, while my breathing remains as ragged as it was from the start. With the removal of the panic and adrenaline, goes the pain relief for my arm, which has begun to complain loudly about the abuse I have put it through, with the climbing of the wall. As I look down, below the ledge, I wonder how I managed to use my arm to get up here, as it is unable to even clench around my spear now, let alone hoist my 160 pound body up to this small island of safety.

But I can't stay here.

I glance up, looking for an escape from this madness and somewhere safe for me to go. My eyes catch something, and after around one minute of attempting to focus, I can recognise a hazy image of a path, which has to lead to somewhere?

But it's about 20 feet above me, but with my injured and bloody arm, what seems to be a concussion, and no adrenaline to fuel me anymore, it might as well be 100 miles high.

* * *

><p>I lie on the ledge for some time, staring at the sea dully, while on my right, tinges of pink are showing, indicating dawn. Something stupid in me thinks that when it is daytime, I'll look down and see that it was all a dream, not real and certainly nothing to worry about.<p>

But when I glance down to check this; they remain there, trying to climb the cliff to get to me.

I shiver.

After what seems like hours, I really need to do something. Using my good arm, I push myself up, standing up and gazing at the cliff above. My arm twinges in anticipation of the climb, and I rub it subconsciously, momentarily relieving myself from the occasional spasms of pain that shoots through it.

I try to flex my fingers, and to my utter relief I can still move them, though if I move any of them (apart from my little finger for some reason) a sharp pain, like someone is twisting a knife in the wound again.

Happy with some movement restored, I try to lift my arm up, and it does so, extending (mostly) painlessly. However, when I withdraw it, the knife twists again, leading to an exquisite exhibition of swearing.

* * *

><p>I experiment a bit more, and then sit down, exhausted by the pain I've experienced so far. The sun has risen properly now, but the human-mutts are still there, moaning more than ever.<p>

I can extend my arm, and bend my little finger without pain, but all other movements hurt, which more or less makes the arm useless. Even when I do try to move it, the movements are small, and sometimes they refuse to come, and my arm hangs uselessly at my side, nothing like it was yesterday.

Adrenaline was the only thing that kept me going yesterday.

But I have to climb up there, right? I'll just create my own adrenalin.

I peer up at the wall again, and ready myself to climb it, ignoring (or trying to ignore) the throbbing in my limp arm.

"It's now or never" I mutter under my breath, and I swing my right hand up high, clutching my hand around an outcrop of rock.

I try to lift my left arm, and with some pain, I do so, wincing as I close the fingers around a rock. As I let go with my right arm, to climb higher, my arm screams in agony, and the pain causes me to let go, instinctively.

I topple backwards, and the breath leaves my body as I slam into the ledge.

_Oh crap…_

I'm slowly slipping off, my upper torso and head are sticking over the edge. I whirl my legs around, until they find a gap in the rock, and I jam my foot in, glad for my large feet.

I exhale audibly, and try to build up the courage to sit up again.

Something builds the courage up for me.

The aforementioned something yanks my head back, and the force causes me to yell out loud. I push (and pull) myself upright, hearing a sickening r-i-p sound as I do so. When I feel warmth around my head again, I realise that the r-i-p was in fact my hair.

I put a hand up to my head, and feel a bald patch, filled with sticky liquid. I remove my hand quickly, feeling quite ill.

"What the…"

I turn to the edge, carefully, and peer over it, and see the large boy from 7 holding a chunk of blond hair. He must have grabbed it as I was leaning off the edge. If my hair was any longer I could be down _there _at the moment, and I have no idea what they'd do to me, but I'm sure they don't want to give me a hug.

I subconsciously bring my hand up to my short hair.

Thank goodness for stupid, childish dares then?

* * *

><p>I realise now that I can't climb that stupid wall any more than I could pogo up the cliff wearing a top hat. Any attempt to do so would probably result in more pain, or even death. So far today I've managed to destroy the use of one of my arms, cause what seems to be a concussion and get half my hair ripped out by some undead thing.<p>

The concussion probably caused the hair-loss thing too.

Interfered with my judgement? Or I was an idiot. Or maybe it's a mixture of both.

I still feel dizzy, though the ringing in my ears has gone now, and my vision is returning to normal. I've got a headache now though.

And I still don't know what to do about the horde of the undead currently waiting patiently for me to come down and become their breakfast.

I can't climb up to the path above, I'm pretty sure my arm would give way again before I got up there, and I almost fell to my death the last time I tried.

But the only other option is down, to the sickening crowd of murdered tributes, who are dead, but walk around like the living, trying to make me like them, dead and alive at the same time.

I peak over the small ledge, and feel even more ill than I already am. In sunlight their pallid skins look worse, sicklier, and the smell…

How did I not notice the smell earlier?

Trying hard not to wretch, I observe them. They are all standing within 2 feet of the cliff, pushing each other out of the way, unable to climb but still pushing into the cliff.

Can't climb down then.

Then an idea hits me.

It's a stupid idea, especially when you consider the injuries I already have, and how that isn't going to help when I have to fight someone.

I've seen people fall that far and break bones.

But I've seen people fall that far and be completely fine too.

_Mostly _the second one though.

It's 10 feet, so around the height of my house.

That's not that high, if you think about it...

* * *

><p>Back home, when I was still a child, I climbed onto the roof of the house. I think it was for a dare, as most things were back then, and it took ages to get up to the roof in the first place, and I think I stood on Marlin's head to get up.<p>

Long story short, was an idiot, climbed onto the roof, _fell _off the roof, flew for 10 feet, managed not to break any bones. Just.

I'd do anything for a dare back then though, hence the short hair.

I always have done that, rushed headfirst into situations without thinking about them, and getting seriously hurt as a consequence.

And I can't turn down a dare.

* * *

><p>So I fell 10 feet before, and nothing broke, so what are the odds I can do it again? I'm hoping they're high, but seeing how I've managed to mess everything else up today, I can't say I'm confident in my jumping abilities.<p>

The ledge overhands by a couple of feet, and I could probably get my jump to take me forwards an extra few yards.

The undead seem to be congregated in a line 2 feet wide, but I would only end up about 5 feet away from them when I land. That leaves nothing to chance. If I fall, I have seconds to get up again.

"It's now or never…" I say, repeating my words from earlier. Those 4 words brought me such _good _luck, didn't they?

I push myself against the wall, mentally preparing myself for the leap.

Luckily my legs are still fine, though they seem to be the only part of my body that doesn't ache.

I take a deep breath, and – uttering a loud war cry – sprint to the edge of the cliff and leap, soaring through the air as gracefully as an eagle. Piloting a blimp.

Or so it seems.

That's when I land.

* * *

><p>There's no cracking sound, which floods my body with relief, and I'm still upright, but the landing sent a shudder, a shockwave up my leg, turning them to jelly.<p>

I stagger forwards, as the undead do the same thing; suddenly realising their quarry has escaped the ledge.

The feeling in my legs has started to come back, and I increase in speed, diving into the sea again, like I did yesterday.

_No knife in my arm today though?_

Improvements!

Always looking on the bright side, aren't I?

I wave cheerfully back at the horde, who are walking through the shallows towards me. I really want to vomit, but I have to keep up my appearance. Do I have an appearance left though?

Do I have any sponsors at all?

I swim away lazily, noting the lack of arm-pain I get when swimming. That makes things a lot easier too. Would anyone still be sponsoring me? I think people might have at the beginning, but now? What have I done so far which can be seen as good? Brave maybe, I mean, I went back to the Cornucopia, and went for the spear. Or was that stupidity?

Yep, it was stupidity all right.

My mind switches to the _bad _things I have done thus far, and it's a l-o-n-g list. So far I've been stabbed in the arm, chased by the undead, lost my _hair _to the undead, got myself a concussion, tripped over thin air and fallen on a pile of spears, and been stupid enough to _go _for the spears in the first place!

Not to mention my 'bravery' so far, which I think is just stupidity. Jumping off a ledge into a crowd of dead people who still want you dead? That's stupid. The taunting of the Careers? Once again, stupid. Not finding a safe place to sleep in the first place? That's pretty stupid too.

Who wants to sponsor the stupid, clumsy, bald, injured, mad girl then?

No-one?

I wonder why.

Fuming at myself, I decide to swim to the next beach, where I can make a rope or something, and then try to get up to the cliff path. I could probably make a ladder if I can find some driftwood somewhere, and that shouldn't be too hard to climb, even with my failure of an arm. Lucky thing I'm right handed.

* * *

><p>I manage to get to the beach in a few minutes, and luckily, this one is undead-free. I don't think the Gamemakers will set them on me again though, or at least, not yet. They don't want to overuse them. Most likely they'll be used on some other hapless tribute.<p>

I almost feel sorry for them.

But I can't let that 'almost' become anything more.

The beach is smaller, and also higher up. Or maybe the cliff path is lower, because it seems closer here than on the undead-beach. I look up, trying to analyse my situation, refusing to let myself rush into this again. There are more foot and handholds here, and a rock I could drape a ladder or rope over.

It's easy.

A bit _too _easy.

Maybe the other beach was a trap…

Stupid me, walking into the trap without _thinking_.

I still don't think I could climb the cliff face, even if it was shorter, so either I have to wait for a sponsor, or make it myself.

I look hopefully up at the sky, but nothing happens.

I swear, and give the sky the middle finger, before walking towards the sea to find some seaweed, muttering under my breath the whole way.

* * *

><p>I come back from the sea, lugging around 1 mile of seaweed – Ok, maybe over-exaggerating, but that's what it seems like – and set about the arduous task of braiding the seaweed into a thick note. My eyes are drawn to the bracelet on my wrist, and I smile, hoping Marlin is watching now and not a point when I die.<p>

Or kill.

I keep my spear nearby, my lesson learned from the previous night, and continue my job, ignoring the ache in my stomach, and the dryness at the back of my throat. Or at least, trying to. And not doing a very good job at it.

I weave for the next few hours, stopping only when I have 40 feet of thick, seaweed rope. The sun has moved considerably further down the sky since when I started, beginning to drip slowly off the face of the earth.

I dive, and find driftwood, which I cut holes into with the crap-knife (I refuse to call it a craft-knife, or a box cutter, or whatever it is). At the end of my particularly uneventful day (barring undead tributes) I chuck the rope over the lip of the rock, and pick up the rope that comes falling down. Tying the end down to a rock poking out of the earth, I tie the ladder onto the rope, hoping it will stay attached. I then stand back to admire my handiwork.

Ok, it's lopsided.

And messy.

And Nymph could have done a better job.

But it's _mine!_

It can (hopefully) support my weight, and I can finally find somewhere safe to spend the night, which is approaching with dangerous speed.

I walk over to the rope ladder and begin to climb, nervously at first; due to how wobbly it is, swaying from side to side, like the sea. (Which has got choppier, I'm _sure of it)_ I am almost up when…

_**BOOM!**_

I fall, 10 feet, and land on my arse.

"OH COME ON!" I yell in frustration "ARE YOU TIMING THESE JUST TO ANNOY THE HELL OUT OF ME! BECAUSE IT'S BLOODY WORKING!"

The silence afterwards seems even quieter, as I silently tick myself off for shouting like that when anyone could hear me. But seriously? The cannon goes off _just _when I am about to reach the safety?

Too much of a coincidence, right?

Then I remember what the cannons signify. Someone has died. It could be Kai, Dou, _anyone_.

Maybe the undead horde got them, like I thought they might do.

I sigh, and then quickly disguise it as a scowl as I go to climb the ladder once more.

I have just put one foot on the ladder when I stop and turn my face skywards, allowing my scowl to be broadcast across the nation.

"If a cannon, even _one tinsy-winsy _cannon goes off when I am climbing this ladder, I will win these games, and find the person in charge and _rip their fucking nuts off._"

Shockingly, no cannon goes off this time.


	17. Talking

***6th of August A/N* I will publish tomorrow, or the day after maybe! I've got 2 new fanfics planned, one on Johanna, and a long, Harry Potter one, but I'm doing the next chapter of this first, don't worry!**

**Disclaimer - I own an EasyNote TK Packard Bell. I am extremely happy about this. I do not own the Hunger Games. I am extremely _un_happy about this.**

**Talking**

By the time I've finished making my way up to the cliff path, darkness has returned, and with it, stabbing pains of hunger and thirst. When was the last time I ate something? It seems like years, and the dry sensation at the back of my throat reminds me that I need to drink too.

I'll do that tomorrow though, after what happened last night, I'll wait until dawn here, those things _really _put me off sleeping out in the open. But how could I sleep at all then? An idea hits me, though it's more of a theory. Cliffs have caves right? So I just need to walk along this path until I find somewhere to stay, a cave hopefully.

I pull the rope ladder up before I go off to find the aforementioned cave, and tuck it into my black backpack. The cliffs around here seem empty enough, but it's better to be safe than sorry. I don't want someone finding the rope and realising that someone's around here while I look for a cave. Even if they're not Careers or other murder-fuelled tributes, they might take the rope ladder, and I spent all of yesterday making it and I don't really find the idea of losing it an attractive one.

I decide to move west, towards the Cornucopia. The east had those undead things, and I really don't want to encounter them again, even if I end up facing a Career, or the whole pack. Something tells me that I do _not _want to be hurt by the undead ones, as I now call them, and I could always stab myself couldn't I?

Nice, _pleasant _thoughts I have, aren't they?

The night's air is cold again, not unlike winter nights back in District 4, which is quite a warm place for most of the year, except when a hurricane hits, or in the dead of winter.

Then again, back home I wouldn't venture out in shorts and a tank top like the things I'm wearing now. I shiver slightly, the sea breeze not helping me warm up. The wind has definitely increased in velocity since yesterday, and I beginning to wonder whether the Gamemakers want me to get blown off the edge to die in the sea.

It's hard to believe it's only been 2 days, (well, more like 1 and a half)and yet in that short space of time my life got utterly ruined, along with my arm. I glower at it, as if staring at it hard enough could fix the damage the knife did.

Sadly, it doesn't.

Just last week I was still in District 4, on the beach with my friends, (and two working hands) wondering who would have their life ruined the next week, assuming that it would be a Career, an idiot who seemed to _enjoy _killing and being killed. But a Career wasn't chosen to go to the game, a bumbling _idiot _was.

Guess who that bumbling idiot was!

Correct

Why's it _always _me?

* * *

><p>After about half an hour of walking, I can see the forest ahead, along with occasional glimpses of movements that could either be of Tributes or Animals. Or those weird undead things that attacked me two nights ago. I shiver, even though the temperature is high, and I'm covered in sweat now, both from me being way too unfit, and due to the heat.<p>

I'm in the open here, and I push myself against the cliff wall, and edge along, hoping that no one has chosen this moment to look up. It's day time so it wouldn't take super senses to spot me, though getting to me would be hard enough.

I try to remember if there was a bow in the Cornucopia, but none comes to mind. That means the spears and the throwing knives, and I've already been hit by a knife, and I'm in no real rush to do so again.

Speaking of the Cornucopia…

The place seems empty, but you can never be sure with Careers, and in most of the hunger games I've seen they've set up camp there. It could be a trap then, and if so, they'll be nearby.

That probably means that they'll be able to see me up here, on this narrow ledge.

Immediately, I flatten myself to it, and increase my pace, while still facing outwards, looking for a glint from a sword; or a knife being thrown my way. I've been pretty lucky; no one's come near me so far in the games, excluding the arm I keep whinging about. The games might be beginning to be boring if I'm unlucky though, and that means death. Hopefully there's a death soon.

I just wished for someone to die.

I just did.

And I don't even feel that bad about thinking it.

_They'll be time for philosophical thinking tomorrow, or the day after, or when I lose the games and am waiting up near the pearly gates. Now, just think about winning these games and getting home in one piece. Preferably with two working arms attached on each side._

I scowl at my arm again.

Thankfully, I make it round the Cornucopia, without being spotted (I think and hope) and I continue forward, quicker now, to try and get out of sight as quickly as possible. That involves getting _off _this damn cliff, something made hard by my limp arm, and near impossible by the sweat that covers my other arm, leaving it slippy and not the best gripping tool in the metaphorical box. I just hope that if I make it far enough away from the Cornucopia, the path will lower to the ground, and then I can go find water.

I glance behind me again, the nagging sensation of being watched niggling at the back of my brain again, even though I _know _no one could possibly be following me, could they? I try not to think of that, and keep walking, watching the trees disappear into the distance, the wide plain with a river separating the two. The same river that separated me from the Cornucopia in the first place. A roaring sound is loud here too, leading me to believe that I am near the waterfall, and that maybe the path will lower me down there.

My intuition seems to be right (for the first time ever) and the path bends downwards, stopping about 100 feet away from the great waterfall I saw at the beginning.

I couldn't feel its true power when I was back at the Cornucopia.

The thundering is immense, and I probably could make out its yell from where I slept last night, if I knew what I was listening out for. Not only that, but the water is spraying out, soaking me even though I stand quite a while away from it. I wonder vaguely about moving closer, but decide against it. I can hardly breathe as it is, and it wouldn't be the best way to go, drowning in spray.

It's above 'murder by Career' though.

Just.

I walk away from it, towards the small pool that it feeds into, and glance around, checking for other people before I stop for water. The scenery seems lonely enough, but one can never be sure, right? I throw the rucksack onto one shoulder, and grab the bottle out with my left hand, ignoring the stabbing pains this produces. I need my right hand for holding the spear. I then bend down, and fill the bottle to the brim, before carefully sticking it back into the backpack and zipping it up.

I chuck it back onto my back in case I have to run for it, and lean over into the pool.

* * *

><p>Okay, I admit it now that it was a stupid idea to do that. Did I have any idea what could have happened? No, I just leaned over and jumped into the water! So many bad things could have happened to me! I get angry just thinking about what I did now. I can think of 3 different bad things that could have occurred due to my <em>stupidity!<em>

_Bad thing 1 – _Mutts. Why didn't I think of the mutts? I'd just faced off 11 of them two nights ago, and got injuries from the meeting too. The Gamemakers put Mutts everywhere! There could have been anything in that pond! Sharks, plesiosaurs, mutant dolphins, piranhas, sharks again, poisonous frogs, _bloody sharks again! _Hell, some of those aren't even mutants! And I just leap in there, without thinking? With 1 and a half arms? I'm lucky I don't have massive gaping wounds from bites all over my body!

_Another awful thing that could have occurred 2 –_Water is not plain H20, it's got all kinds of invisible little deadly things in it (not to mention the sharks). Bacteria is in that stuff, and I didn't jump in for the pleasure of it, I did it to have a nice drink now. Which could have poisoned me. Come to think of it, I'll have to risk it with the bottled stuff too now, unless I get Iodine pills from a sponsor, which seems unlikely due to my _idiocy _which probably lessened the chances of me being sponsored by anyone with some sort form of self-preservation instinct.

_A final reason why I am a total arsehole and it is surprising how I am still alive to shout at myself at the moment 3 – _I can't only fear nature and Gamemakers here, (despite how terrifying sharks are). There are Careers here, who could have been sitting at the edge of the pool, just waiting for me to jump in, so they could jump on _me _and kill me in the pool. It's a big water source, and they're not total idiots, they must know that a water source like this might attract attention. And so I leapt into the trap like the idiot I am.

Luckily for me, none of those things happened. (Much). Instead what did happen was this:

* * *

><p>I feel at home again, in the water of the pool, and I open my mouth and take huge gulps of the water as I swim. It's nice to cool down in here, after the humidity and heat of the air surrounding the pool. The water's like a massive ice pack to me. I drift for a bit, feeling more alert than ever, the cold and the water helping me regain the focus I need to stay alive for a few more days (and hopefully, years). I roll onto my front, and see multi-coloured fish darting about in the water, not even bothering to stay away from me. They'd be easy to catch. I wonder vaguely about doing that, and finding something to eat. The only thing I've eaten in 2 days is a packet of nuts and the grumbling of my stomach is almost louder than my grumbling about my arm<p>

Almost.

They'd be so easy to catch, drifting about, unaware of the danger that could kill them at any second. Feeling safe just because they're in the water, where they belong. False illusions of saf…

Did I just describe _exactly what I was doing?_

Saying some pretty descriptive swear words, I leap out the water, running to the shore, practically sloshing with the water I have drunk. As I make to run, a wave of nausea rolls over me, caused either by the water or the concussion, and I vomit, sending runny vomit everywhere, along with any food I had just eaten. It's lucky I _didn't _eat, or it'd all be on the floor now, wasted. I steady myself, still clutching my only weapon, and stand there, looking to see if anyone is watching me (after glancing in the pond to check for _fucking sharks!_) Luckily, I seem to be alone. I exhale loudly, and turn to the pool again, when a *rustle* hits my ears from behind me.

I spin around, holding the spear up high, my heart pumping hard.

I don't want to kill, and I hope I won't have to.

Trying to sound confident, I say "Who's there?"

It comes out more like a croak, my voice weakened through lack of voice, but luckily that only serves to make me sound crazier, hopefully covering for the lack of murder on my part so far. Maybe I won't have to kill this person, whoever they are?

Another rustle, followed by a louder one, as a small figure crawls out from around the bush, his hands in the air. As soon as I recognise him I let the spear fall to my side.

His short blond hair has been dirtied, leaving it half brown. One whole side is a dark ochre, leading me to believe he spent the last two nights lying on the mud. I almost pity him, but that's before I remember how _I _spent the last two nights doing. Fighting undead ones and refusing to fall asleep respectively. He seems shorter than I remember him, but that's probably because I just pointed a spear at him, and I know I'd try to shrink myself to nothing if someone did that to me.

"Going to break your pact Aal?" he asks

I smile at Dou, glad to see him alive even though I _know _he wasn't dead. There haven't been any deaths since the bloodbath and his face wasn't up in the sky. He looks saddened by something, and I'm about to ask what when I realise that it would be a stupid question. I'm in the Arena too, and I know what he's been through.

"Rough time?" I ask him, sitting down beside the pool, wondering about fishing again.

He nods, and with another jolt, I remember Demeter, and her face lighting up the sky.

"What happened to her?" I say softly "Did you see it?"

He shakes his head "We said we'd go south whatever happened, and leave the Cornucopia alone, we're not idiots, we know that the bloodbath's, well, a _bloodbath_. So I ran south like we said we would, just far enough away to see what was going on, and waited for someone to run out of the battle this way, but nobody did. Then you came, and I saw them chasing you, you went off into the sea. She didn't come, so I hid in a bush for a night. I thought she'd come later, and then I saw her face in the sky."

His face becomes bitter as he continues his story.

"I bet she ran straight into the fight. She told me the night before that… well… she didn't come to training and she'd sort of given up."

The idea of her _killing _herself makes the idea of her death worse, especially as I can't say I haven't wondered about it up to now. I was even joking about it this morning.

And Demeter did it.

I put my arm around Dou, wincing as his back touches the bandage I made for myself. I can positively _hear_ the Capitol audience screaming through the TV sets, telling Dou to run, or baying for his blood. Probably the latter.

I feel awkward doing this, and I remove the arm a second or two later.

"Do you want something to eat?" I ask, trying to change the topic. I don't even have any food.

He nods and I gaze around for something to eat.

"Wait a second" I say, before walking back to the pond, more carefully now, holding the spear out in case of _sharks. _I peer at the water, and see one of the fish I saw earlier. I poise myself, and thrust the spear at the fish. A spurt of red informs me that I have struck my target. I lean forward and pick up the fish, placing it on the ground by the pond and going back again.

After 10 minutes I have a small pile, and I walk over to the scared looking Dou, and chuck 3 of them at him. They hit him in the face and he jumps visibly. Maybe not the best idea then.

"Have them" I say, biting into the others. I feel slightly guilty about taking most of the food for myself. I try to quash the thought. _He wouldn't have anything if it wasn't for me. _ I think, trying to justify it.

We sit in silence as we eat, and I'm just getting started on my last fish (Dou still eating his slowly) when Dou puts his food down, and speaks.

"I'm not allying with you"

I nod, pretending to understand, as silence falls again. A few seconds later, the silence is broken again, but by me this time.

"Why though?" I say, before adding "I mean, you'd-we'd be safer together"

He raises an eyebrow. "You mean _I'd _be safer. You're wondering why I'd turn up you for an ally, when you got the same score as most of the Careers, higher than me by far."

I nod sheepishly.

"I don't want to see anyone die" he says simply "If I'm with you, I'll have to"

He sees my raised eyebrow and continues hastily "I mean, you would kill if you had to, or if it was closer to the end"

I jerk my head towards the sky, and he quickly adds "or maybe if you, you know, went mad"

I roll my eyebrows at his feeble lie, and gesture at him to continue.

"I don't want to see anyone die, even if it means I'll die myself. I doubt I could win these games even if I was trying, and so isn't it better not to try? I'd be a burden to you, and don't you try to deny it."

I swallow my last fish, and turn to him. "What did Demeter do in training?"

He seems surprised at the change in discussion, but answers the question anyway.

"She went to the edible plants section, the one she spent most of her time at during the training, and took all the flowering plants, and made a bouquet." He smiles at the memory. "I told her she could get a 7 or 8, with her snares, but she said she'd rather get a low score and die then become one of their slaves."

I look up at the skies in fear. No one says anything like that in the games! When no poisonous gas appears, my heart rate returns to normal speed. Maybe tributes often say that sort of thing, but they just cut it off. I'm hoping they won't try and hurt us because of what he said.

We sit by the pond for a bit longer, discussing home in our district, and how this Arena reminds so much of home.

After some more idle small talk, I can tell that we're running out of things to discuss, and we return to silence, listening to the wind blowing across the plains, and the all-powerful sound of the waterfall, still thundering loudly.

"I should go" he says, looking towards the forest again. "Thanks for the fish"

"I'll go too" I say, looking in the other direction, back at the waterfall, and at the path behind it. We stand up and start to move away from each other.

"So long" I say to him as he walks away.

"Thanks for all the fish!" He replies, disappearing into the forest.

I might never see him again.

I walk back to the path, and proceed to climb up onto it, the familiar sound of the waterfall increasing in intensity, as well as soaking me again.

_Just after I've finally dried off from the pond incidence _I think sadly, before becoming irritated at myself again. _Remind me to kick myself if I ever try something as stupid as that again._

* * *

><p>When I make my way along the path to the Cornucopia, I see smoke billowing from outside the golden cone. So I was right, they <em>did <em>set up camp there. I was lucky I wasn't spotted by them, and even luckier that I decided to come via the path, and not swim over, they'd have seen me for sure, and I can't run to save my life!

Oh the irony.

I sneak by quietly, preparing to break into a clumsy run if someone leaves the tents that surround the Cornucopia. I can also see a silhouette of someone sitting outside the Cornucopia, keeping guard. They must be hunting at night and sleeping in the day. I squint at the figure, ruling out the person as either of the trolls. They're massive, and this person is smaller. Copia's pretty tall too, which leaves Kai and Nyx. This actually helps me relax quite a bit, and I stop squeezing myself against the rock, and move round to the point where the path turns, no longer following the land.

It's a narrow place, and if I was to fall off, this would probably be where it occurred. I didn't notice it much the last time I walked past, as I was too busy trying not to be seen. I put one leg across, along with my bad arm. I hope I won't need to use it. I'm sort of hugging the wall now, half of my body on either side of the angle. I'm just about to swing my leg across when.

*_**BOOM!**_*

I almost slip, but I catch myself just in time, and more or less _throw _myself at the sea ledge.

Why do they _always _go off when I'm almost about to fall off things?

"THAT'S IT!" I yell up at the sky, not even caring that the Careers can probably hear me. "SOMEONE UP THERE IS _DEFINITELY _LOSING THEIR ABILITY TO PROCREATE!" I kick the cliff angrily, before remembering what I said earlier, at the pond.

_Remind me to kick myself if I ever try something as stupid as that again._

Ah…

* * *

><p>I make my way back without much difficulty, and put the rope ladder against the rock again, to go fishing again, despite little warning alarms going off in my head. Astonishingly (sarcasm sign!), the alarm seems to sound exactly like a 17 year old girl screaming <em>SHARKS, SHARKS, SHARKS, SHARKS, SHARKS, SHARKS! <em>At the top of her voice. Which is what I feel like doing, but restraint is keeping that shout from escaping my lips.

I catch a fair few fish, (whilst looking out for the sharks) and wonder what the Capitol thinks of me at the moment. I let someone go. I could have killed Dou from the very beginning, and I didn't. I'm supposed to be some sort of perpetually-angry, psychotic, murdering loony, and I let some boy go, after giving him food, and letting _him _refuse to ally with me.

My sponsor levels must be even lower than they were yesterday when I disappointingly didn't murder any other teenagers in this place.

No, _tributes. _I can't let myself think of them as people like me. It's too late as far as Dou and Kai are concerned, I could only kill them if we were the only two left.

And even then…

I make my way up the rope ladder again, my arm feeling slightly better than it was this morning. Maybe it'll actually heal!

Another reason I haven't been getting any sponsors, this _damn arm._

And my continual whinging about it.

* * *

><p>Sunset.<p>

I'm waiting for the people to appear in the sky right now, as I can't enter the cave until then. (Can't see the sky in a cave, duh!) Two cannons went off today, and I'm hoping Kai and Dou aren't _either _of the dead.

The anthem starts, and the first face fills up the sky. Hermes, the boy from 6. The only survivor so far who wasn't on my side of the river at the Cornucopia. Turns out the Gamemakers _are _fortune tellers then. I allow myself a smile as I realise that Kai and Dou are not dead. Or at least, not both of them.

I begin to hold my breath again as I prepare for another face to light up the sky.

I look up to see…

Hang on.

_That _can't be right…

**AHAHAHAHA! Cliffhanger! Yes I'm evil, didn't you already know that from the (only) weekly updates? Good, now remember to review! OK? Now, I know it doesn't take long, but some people still don't do it, and I don't blame you, it can take effort sometimes and I often don't review. So, here's something that will _really _take 2 seconds, stolen from someone who I can't remember the name of. If you are them, please PM or Review and I'll give you credit.**

**Simple, copy and paste this review and then press review. It takes a second, and I won't judge you for doing it. I'd prefer it to no reviews.**

**Here it is!**

Hello writer! I really like this story, and I'd love to tell you how much I love it, but I can't really find the time to write out my thoughts and feelings, but this is to let you know I read it, and liked it! Sorry I couldn't write one myself, but I still loved the story.  
>Sincerely, an avid reader!<p>

**Now don't you tell me it'd take too long to copy and paste _that!_ You obviously didn't review because you hate me, *sob*!**


	18. Killing

**Sorry it took so long! I have many on the go at the moment, **_**way **_**too many :O I've got this and Pivotal, Pivoting, and a multi-author one on the go, not to mention a long one shot I'm writing on all the kills Johanna has made! After I've done **_**that **_**one, I'm starting a Harry Potter one too! And I'm on Holiday all the time as well! The next chapter won't be for a long time, maybe 2-3 weeks. Sorry!**

**I am writing more each chapter for these, did you notice that? The first chapter was 2,000 words, and that was around the minimum limit (barring The Informed), and from The Rising, all chapters have been getting longer and longer! Which length do you prefer? 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000 or more words per chapter? I like long ones, because I hate having to continually press 'next chapter'! What length do you prefer? Tell me in your review!**

**Disclaimer – No.**

**Killing**

_Last time…_

_Sunset._

_I'm waiting for the people to appear in the sky right now, as I can't enter the cave until then. (Can't see the sky in a cave, duh!) Two cannons went off today, and I'm hoping Kai and Dou aren't either of the dead._

_The anthem starts, and the first face fills up the sky. Hermes, the boy from 6. The only survivor so far who wasn't on my side of the river at the Cornucopia. Turns out the Gamemakers are fortune tellers then. I allow myself a smile as I realise that Kai and Dou are not dead. Or at least, not both of them._

_I begin to hold my breath again as I prepare for another face to light up the sky. _

_I look up to see…_

_Hang on._

_That can't be right…_

I stare up at the black sky, completely empty now.

Why was there only one face in the sky tonight? _ONE FACE!_

The maths is _definitely _off, two cannons, one face, just the boy from 6. I frown in confusement, looking at the sky like it has offended me personally. There _were_ definitely 2 cannons right? The one last night, after the anthem, was real, especially to my bum, which is still throbbing with the memory of that particular fall.

The other one almost led to my death, and seemed real enough, especially after I swore to carry out my threat and disembowel the gamemakers. That meant two cannons, and so two deaths, right?

So why was there only one face in the sky tonight?

I close my eyes, and try to think, something that _doesn't _come naturally to me, despite what my dad and Meena tell me. _(Don't say that darling, you're perfectly fine just how you are)._ The cannons go off when someone dies, right? So two people died, but only one person is dead. There are two explanations then.

Explanation 1 – Two people died today, and one of them recovered from death.

Explanation 2 – On person managed to die twice. Hard enough, even here in the arena, where death comes easily.

The first explanation could actually work, as from all my experience I think that the cannon goes off when the heart stops, and I think there's something called CSP, CSI, CPS or something similar which can restart hearts. However, if you're in a fight to the death, and a person _dies, _bringing them back to life isn't the sanest option.

'_Then again, the Hunger Games isn't the sanest game…'_

Dou might have done it for Demeter, and vice versa, but I can't really think of anyone else in the Arena who would help to resurrect another tribute, another _enemy!_

I don't think I would, for Kai or for Dou…

Explanation 2 is impossible, unless CSI-thingy was used and then the person was killed again. Even more insane, bring a person back to life to kill them all over again. My brain repeats the fact about the insanity of the whole of the Hunger Games as I frown. This place _is _mad, maybe the Capitol set off 2 cannons to alarm us? (A small part of my brain wonders whether they enjoyed me threatening the gamemakers, and did it to set me off again.) But isn't that against the rules? There's only one rule in this game (well, two if you count the not leaving the plinth rule), kill or be killed. The Capitol is definitely mad though, who else would set undead tributes on us anyway? Undead. _Undead…_

I slide myself into the cave, making sure the vines fall down and stop me seeing the sky completely before I begin to allow myself to ponder that particular enigma.

When I stabbed the undead thing, no Cannon went off, because they were already dead, weren't they? But the Careers saw some of the tributes die, and they must have been taken off on the hovercraft again, and the Capitol re-animated them or something. So _they _only died once. Maybe the bite sets off a Cannon, and then when they die…?

I shake my head, thinking so hard I'm actually getting a headache now. The only thing I can decide on is that it has something to do with the undead things. But that means…

I jump up and poke my head out the vines, checking around, my heart throwing itself against the walls of my chest. No moaning groans sound, and I start to calm down.

The undead things are still around, but they wouldn't set the same monster on me twice, unless they were desperate, it wouldn't be fun! Just because they're in this Arena somewhere doesn't mean they're necessarily near me. The Arena's _massive. _They shouldn't be anywhere near me.

I hope.

I shiver, and despite my reassurances, remain outside the cave, alert and awake now, despite my lack of sleep for some time. I don't want to wait here, shivering in a cave while there might be undead thingies about! I've only got one exit from the cave, and that's where they'd come in! I'll sleep in the day, or never, because I can't bring myself to do it now.

What to do then?

'_I could go get some food…' _my stomach gives a rumble of approval at this plan, as I have been surviving on nothing but raw fish so far. The fish I got after I arrived back have already begun to digest in my stomach too, so I have nothing left to eat. I had no idea how quickly I could go through food.

I breifly consider fishing over the edge of the cliff, but realise that I have no seaweed left for a rope, nor anything with which to make a hook. My mind drifts to an old victor, from the 7th Games, who could make hooks out of anything. I think her name was Mags, or Madge or something.

I sigh and rub my stomach, looking hopefully up at the sky. Maybe a sponsor will send me something to eat. Unless they think I'm weak…

When no silver package floats down, I come to the conclusion that I will have to go find food for myself, a conclusion I was both expecting and fearing. I dive back into the cave and open up the bag, drawing out the rope-ladder. I crawl out through the entrance again, leaving my rucksack behind. I have my spear with me too, as I don't think it's safe to wander around without a weapon here. I've been lucky, the only person I've seen is Dou, and he isn't exactly major competition. I rearrange the vines so that the cave is once again hidden, before tying the ladder to the same rock as before, and sliding down the ladder. The pain that shoots through my arm is definitely duller than it was yesterday, but I doubt I can do any heavy lifting with it.

Suddenly grateful that I'm not left-handed, I attempt to throw the ladder up in a way that it'll fall back down again.

"Damn… Stupid… KNOT!" I say, frustrated, as the ladder remains resolutely on the rock. Shimmying up the ladder again, I loosen it somewhat, hopefully not _too _much, or I'll fall off again. When I reach the bottom, I somehow manage to get the ladder loose, and it falls onto my head. I have no idea how seaweed can be _that heavy!_

I lift up the top, and wind the ropey ladder round my stomach, before pushing my top down again and checking it's secure. The rope serves 3 purposes. It makes me look less skinny and malnourished, so more intimidating. It also keeps the rope with me, while keeping my arms free, and finally, it might even work as a crude form of armour, stopping blades from piercing my already sun-burnt skin.

I walk off, congratulating myself inwardly at my brilliant idea. I came by the cliff path last time, and I ended up shouting, so I think the Careers could have heard me. I'm not really sure where I'm going, but the vague idea of swimming towards the forest is in my head. If I swim far enough out that the ranger weapons cannot reach me, no-one (except maybe Kai) would be able to swim out to kill me.

The water seems choppier, like the wind has increased, and small white specks are flying around, and I think I can see the beginnings of clouds in the sky.

'_Great' _I think to myself _'On top of all of this, rain. My life seems to be some sort of joke on the part of the universe'_

Scowling at the clouds like they formed purposely to make me depressed, I dive into the water, and swim towards the Cornucopia and out towards sea. Hopefully the Career on guard won't be looking out here, or they'll think they've imagined me. It's a good thing the Capitol does everything related to District 4 in blue, good camouflage for me. And hopefully, no sharks will see me.

'_Shut up about the sharks, there are __**no **__sharks. I hope'_

I glance nervously at the water beneath me.

* * *

><p>Swimming always made me feel awake, and even though I haven't slept for days, I still feel completely alert. I blame the adrenalin. The towering cliffs are behind me now, and I can see waves lashing against the base of the cliff. The sea is no longer the calm, mirror-smooth surface it was at the start. Maybe the Gamemakers are messing with the weather. Actually, scratch that, I'm <em>sure <em>the Gamemakers are messing with the weather, they do it every year! I just wish I could work out how bad they're going to make it, whether it'll keep getting worse until everyone apart from one person has been blown away, or if they'll just make it harder to survive.

I hope for the latter, and am suddenly glad for the blanket I got. What I'm _not _glad about is the fact that they gave us skimpy clothes, and I'll have to walk around in them.

Giving the sky another dirty look, I swim past the Cornucopia, and I can just make out a shadowy silhouette sitting atop it, facing away from me. Excellent. From the build I'd guess the person as one of the trolls. My theory is confirmed as he scratches his head dully, looking like a large gorilla.

* * *

><p>I keep swimming until the cliffs have vanished from view, and the Cornucopia is a small, glinting speck in the distance. It manages to glint even in the dark of night. As soon as I can be certain no person there can see me, I beach myself. Panting slightly, I glance quickly around the general vicinity, noting (to my relief) that this part of the forest seems to be all but deserted. I straighten up, and clench my spear in my good arm again, but leave it at my side. It really wouldn't do if I tripped and managed to stab myself. Knowing me, I'll probably end up doing that.<p>

I look around for some animals I can hunt and eat; that preferably won't try to eat me first. No luck. Nothing's easy for me, and I doubt the Capitol will help.

I sigh slightly, and gaze around the clearing, hoping a rabbit will lie down long enough for me to stab it.

No luck again.

I start forwards, realising I've been standing still too long, and make towards the denser part of the forest, complete with scrubby bushes and grass. Animals like grass, don't they?

I wish Dou could have allied with me, he'd probably know. I just know fish.

Are fish and rabbits really that different? Or squirrels, I'm really not fussy.

A rustle behind me causes me to whirl around, the spear no longer at my side but poised to strike. I edge my way closer, horribly aware of how loud my footsteps sound on the crunchy earth, hoping the darkness has shielded me from the gaze of prey, or predator.

I bend my knees, as the bush gives another, smaller rustle, before leaping onto it. My spear is held aloft, but I do not lower it. A small bit of my brain still refuses to kill until I know what – or who – I will be killing.

A scream wrenches the air, as I realise – with a lurch of my stomach that has nothing to do with eating raw meat – that I have caught my first tribute.

The small bush is no more than a pile of leaves and twigs now, revealing the terrified girl hiding beneath it, curled up.

I think she was sleeping.

Her mousy hair is thick with dirt, like Dou's was, but Dou has never looked at me with such terror in his eyes. Her brown eyes are wide in horror, and she seems to be trying hard not to cry. She thinks she's going to die.

Is she going to die?

I rearrange myself on top of her, into a kneeling position on her chest, causing her to panic even more, and increase her struggling.

It sickens me.

But I have to do this, don't I?

Don't I?

The spear is still held aloft, though I have no idea whether I have the strength to do anything other than let it fall to the ground with a clatter. I didn't feel tired earlier, but now the lack of sleep seems to have not only caught up with me, but tackle me to the ground and beat me over the head with the starting gun.

The girl from District 5, Din writhes underneath me, and I feel another stab of horror about what I am going to have to do, unless I think of something fast.

_Very _fast.

Cogs and nuts whirring in my brain, I try to stall, by talking to her in a voice that makes me sick, sick of having to do this. Sick of the whole freaking thing, sick of the Capitol and the stupid games they make us play.

"Hello there, having a little sleep?" I say, crooning slightly "would you like to go to sleep forever?"

She's beginning to cry now, struggling in vain underneath me,

I don't want to, I really don't, but I can't just let her go like that, not after Dou. Not again…

A clunk of an idea echoes through my brain, and I try to resist smiling in relief, though that would be a bit of a giveaway to the Capitol that I was planning something. I _can _let her go, just after a bit of acting, and making it seem like I didn't want it.

'_You can't do this every time though' _a timid but determined voice tells me _'you can't let everyone live. Not Kai, not Dou, not this girl. You can't. People have to die for you to live, and if you can't kill, the Capitol will kill you, even if you are an interesting person in the games'_

I ignore the voice, as I put my plan into action.

"Well little girly" I say with a small, manic laugh "Do you know what I'm going to do? I'll tell you if you want, but you have to promise _not to tell…"_

She's stopped wriggling, and seems to be ready to accept, to _embrace _her death, though her eyes are still wide and damp. I bend my head down, my hair acting like some sort of greasy shield, preventing the cameras from seeing my lips move. I put my mouth so close to her ear, I can feel the heat radiating off them, and I'm sure I can hear her heart beat. I begin to whisper in a low, urgent voice.

"_I am not going to kill you" _

I hear a small gasping sigh of relief, and I feel like hitting myself in the face. How stupid could I get? Of course she's going to react, and spoil my image and my plan all inone swoop.

"_You can't react though. You have to act your part, or I'm going to be utterly screwed. I am going to pretend to be about to stab you, and you are going to find some hidden reserves of strength and punch me in the stomach, throw me off and run away. I'll let you go, without THEM knowing it's on purpose. I'm NOT going to follow you. Do you understand?"_

No sound.

I feel ready to hit myself again, of _course _she's not making a sound, I told her not to!

"_Make a whimper or something, so I know you can hear me."_

She whimpers, and I roll my eyes slightly (even in a situation like this, I can't help it). Her 'whimper' sounds less terrified, and more like a dog being squeezed slightly too tightly. At least she understands.

I move my head away from her ears, and it's just about possible to tell she's less afraid, though maybe that's just because I know she should be less frightened. There's still some real fear there, as if she fears I'm just toying with her, playing some kind of sick game.

Like the Hunger Games.

I lift my spear up, looking manically happy (hopefully just manic to the audiences though) and like the plan states, Din draws back her arm (hard to do when you're lying down) and thrusts it hard into my abdomen.

Did a train just crash into my stomach?

I roll onto my side, off Din, as I hear her scamper away; leaving me lying here with the vague sense that somebody set my stomach on fire.

I forgot to mention in the plan that it was to be a _fake _punch.

I gasp for air, but the oxygen seems to dance around out of my reach, leaving me feeling like I might faint. With a dry rattle, I manage to gulp some air down, before vomiting the contents of my stomach onto the earthy floor.

Half-digested raw fish _reeks._

I lie on the ground, wheezing like crazy for a few minutes before I draw the will power to pull myself up into a sitting position.

I look murderous.

How can I know I'm looking murderous? Because I_ feel it._ I couldn't follow her if I wanted to, and trust me; some small part of my brain _really _wants to follow her.

I stand up, though the world seems to be rocking around slightly, and I almost lose my balance. I use the spear to push me up, and lean myself on a nearby tree, getting my breath back.

Ungrateful _arse!_

I groan again, and wonder how an average girl like that learned to punch like _that! _Maybe she learnt it at the same place where she learnt to swing a mace? I'm probably never going to find out about that, unless I get the chance to meet her again, without the urge to kill.

I smother a laugh in my hand, and supress the urge to laugh some more.

'_To be honest, it was a really good punch'_ I think reasonably, returning to normal now I can breathe again. I even feel happy, that I was able to let her go. I take a step forward (hoping my legs can support my weight) and stumble past the pile of vomit, trying hard not to smell it.

'_Eurgh'_ is the only thought that goes through my head as I walk by, my stomach now complaining about the new emptiness.

I'll be eating raw fish again tonight then.

Maybe that had something to do with the vomiting.

I sigh, and determined not to give up my hunting yet, walk towards the ocean again. Do rabbits and squirrels like swimming?

I smile again, as I remember what I did. I'm in the Hunger Games, and I let someone live!

Marlin would be happy.

_Marlin…_

I stop so suddenly, I'm sure any cameras following me must have kept going without me.

Marlin saw all of that, and he didn't know what I said to Din. He didn't know that I planned it all out, that I wanted her to go! Hell, the whole of Panem thinks I wanted to kill her, and her escape was nothing more than a lucky accident! In the eyes of the District, I'm just another Career.

I curse softly under my breath, realising how badly that went. To the Districts, I'm a loony Career with no conscience. To the Capitol I'm a weakling who whinges and can't hold down a small girl!

A lose-lose situation if ever there was one.

I _really _can't let anyone else go. I'll have to kill the next person I see.

'_I promise I'll make it quick'_

* * *

><p>Hunting, it seems, is not as easy as it seems when you're learning it at the training sessions. <em>Sure,<em> I could probably hit a rabbit from 20 feet away, but how do you find the freaking animals in the first place? The whole half of this forest seems to be a no-rabbit zone, and I'm sure that either rabbits are highly evolved and super intelligent, or fish are _incredibly_ stupid. I'm guessing the latter.

I curse as another 'rabbit' I've seen turns out to be a rabbit-shaped bush. My stomach groans in annoyance, and I feel the urge to punch it into oblivion to remove my hunger (would that work?) Except Din Joules already did that, didn't she?

"Owww" I murmur, rubbing it gently, the pain half-hunger, half-punching.

I kick the rabbit shaped bush to relieve my aggression, and fail to note the tree behind it, causing me to yelp in pain as my foot makes contact with the aforementioned tree. Swearing under my breath again, and trying to rub my toe, I catch a glimpse of something in the tree behind the one I just kicked.

Or, more precisely _someone._

Oh no, not this soon…

I can't let them go too, can I?

The cameras must have seen me notice her, and I stand up, and the person vanishes into the branches without moving. I duck down again, and she reappears. Standing up once more, I can't see her, though if I stare at it closely, I can just about tell that the branches are a bit _too _thick to be natural. I duck down again, and see the floaty girl from 7 sitting high up, like some nesting bird of paradise, and I realise how she must have got her high score. Camouflage. She is _brilliant _at it. If I hadn't stubbed my toe I would never have seen her.

But I did see her.

And I have to kill her now.

I raise the spear slightly, hoping the cameras won't be able to make out how it's shaking, along with most of the rest of my body.

'_You can't do this, You can't do this, You can't do this, You can't do this' _A high pitched, frantic voice is screaming in my head, and I feel inclined to agree with it, but the rest of my head is telling me that I have to. I _have _to.

I really don't want to die.

Not here.

Not now.

I shake myself, and look up at the tree again. From this distance I'm almost guaranteed a clean shot, though I might have to go up there to retrieve the spear.

A short burst of nausea overcomes me as I realise that I'll have to go up _there,_ with her body.

I _have _to.

I pull my arm back, imagining that it_ isn't _a real person. Maybe if she was just a training dummy, it wouldn't be this hard. If I can make myself believe she's a training dummy, maybe I can make myself go through with it.

The spear flies out of my grasp without me even thinking about it, soaring through the air like a shark, and piercing the tree like a bullet.

For a second I think I have missed, and relief begins to course through me.

Then a sharp 'CRACK' fills the area, the sound of a branch breaking, as the girl falls through the tree, quite obviously dead.

The quiet after the crack makes the Arena sound silent, like some parody of a moment of mourning. The world seems to have gone completely quiet, and I can barely feel the cold or the hunger any more. Everything seems to have gone numb, as I stare at the empty shell of Medeina, lying upon the sandy floor.

Except she wasn't, couldn't be dead.

No…

Hang on, she actually _couldn't _be dead, the cannon blast that sounded after the deaths failed to arrive.

She's alive.

Cautiously, I walk over to her, and place my hands on the top of the spear and pull lightly. It slides out with a soft'squelch' that should make me vomit again, but in my numb state; the sound is muffled, as though coming from a long distance away.

I step back instinctively, and turn around, determined not to look at the…

At her.

I walk towards the sea, vaguely hoping my blank expression will be read as emotionless.

I just killed someone in cold blood.

Why am I not feeling bad?

Apart from this numbness, I feel practically normal! I should be crying and rolling into a ball and weeping and wishing for death, and I'm not.

I'm cruel.

I sink into a state of not thinking for most of the way back, and it's a minor miracle I manage to make it up the cliff to my cave.

Daybreak has almost arrived.

The cave entrance is still covered, and I feel uneasy about entering.

It's strange, I didn't want to sleep, and now I crave nothing more than to sleep, and to feel nothing until the numbness goes.

In my state, I hear an echoing beep, like a reversing hovercraft.

I turn to see a silver parachute float down from the sky, and I give a hollow laugh in payment.

I'm being rewarded.

Rewarded for killing.

'_Murderer'_

I hold the large parachute in my arm, and stare at it blankly, like I don't know what to do with it.

I _don't _know what to do with it.

'_Murderer'_

I shake my head, trying to rid my brain of the hissing voice that fills it.

Doesn't work.

I push the silver package into the cave, and follow it through, trying not to break down.

What have I done today?

I almost killed one person, and killed another.

'_Murderer' _my brain hisses again, and I put my hands over my ears and attempt to sleep, but my brain keeps hissing at me, refusing to give me the pleasure of nothingness, _'killer of the defenceless, nothing better than __**them**_**. **_You __**deserve **__this'_

'_Murderer'_

'_**Murderer**__'_

'_**MURDERER**__'_

_*****__**BOOM**__*****_

I really am a murderer now.

* * *

><p><strong>REVIEWERS WILL GET SPONSORED!<strong>


	19. Drowning

**The one you've been waiting for now! I've got 3 chapters of my Harry Potter story done, and today was supposed to be all about writing _that _but I wanted to get a chapter of my old faithful story done! Good ol' Porcelain Mask eh? Anyhoo, read on and enjoy and review. Thanks to all the people who said they liked it! I love writing it too! Enjoy my 2 hours non-stop writing efforts now! Enjoy! Also, did you know the name of the chapter was almost 'Solving' or 'Discovering'? Which of the three potential names did you like the most? Tell me in your reviews!**

**Drowning**

I sit there for God only knows how long, curled up in a ball to try to stop all the voices coming. The darkness lightens and then darkens again outside, while I hide in my cave, hungry and thirsty. My water ran out a couple of hours ago, and salty sea spray keeps flying into the cave, making everything damp and soggy. The gift I got sits on the floor, slightly wetter than when I took it in, but apart from that, untouched.

I can't stay here forever though, I really can't. If I want to win, I have to accept what I've done, ignore the voices and carry on. The problem here is the word 'if', because I've seriously considered staying here until I just slip away, or the Capitol sends some more mutts to flush me out of here, which is likely. They don't want their _precious _tribute to die in such an unbloody way.

I look at the wall, where a droplet of sea water is slowly making its way down the wall, leaving a trail of water behind it.

I won't stay here forever.

If I stay here any longer I'll end up dead either way, through thirst, tribute or mutts. And I really can't stay here forever. I close my eye, and push myself up into a sitting position, just enough to make out the dark grey and white blur that has to be the sea. Or maybe the sky, it's hard to tell from a slit covered in vines. First things first, I grab my spear and wipe it against the vines. The rusty brown blood vanishes from the tip, though the smell lingers on, making me want to lie down again, and try to go back to sleep.

I can't stay here forever.

I put it down gently, beside my bag, and lip my lips in an attempt to moisturise them a bit more; I've only realised just now how dry my throat is. If I stayed here any longer I'd be dead in a matter of days.

I _shouldn't _stay here forever.

My resolve to do _something _is crumbling every second, but I try to continue, reaching over for my sponsor gift, still attached to the silver parachute. It's long and thin, but not _that _long if you compare it to my spear. I'd guess it's just shy of a foot long, and about an inch thick. I put a hand at each end, and push, watching it bend easily. Weapons don't bend…

I feel like a child with a Christmas present, trying to guess what it contains before opening it.

I shake the package, which causes nothing except for my head to spin slightly due to lack of food and water. No sound. Completely non-pluses now, I begin to unfold the papery substance that surrounds it, carefully in case I need to use it again.

And what I see makes me feel happy for the first time since I kil-then.

A long, slightly floppy, stick of Celery, with a little note alongside it.

I smile, recalling the night before the private sessions, back when I was a real person, not just an elaborate Porcelain Mask, with dull cracks showing across it. I pick up the small piece of paper, thinking about whether notes often get sent to tributes before. I can vaguely remember a guy from 7 getting one, though he never showed it to the camera. He died the very next day, in a volcanic eruption. It's probably been checked for clues or hints about what's going to happen, so I don't get an advantage.

I wonder whether Hydrao or Lyna sent me it, and which one of them sent the note with it.

And that leads me to think about Kai.

'_No' _I think firmly _'If he dies, it's one less obstacle, you __**don't **__want to be in the final two with him, you'd never forget it if you killed him, would you?'_

I pick up the note, for a distraction from thoughts about Kai or the girl from District 7. It bare a few words, written in a scrawl that makes me think of Lyna. The handwriting is almost illegible and the grammar is awful. What the note says only further my suspicions about the note's sender.

''_apium graveolens' The Worst Weapon of them all, 'Not sword or any other weapon bound by Mortal coil,''_

Beneath is lay another sentence, written in a small, neat handwriting that I think might be Hydrao's.

'_You Cannot Escape the responsibility of, Tomorrow by, Evade-ing it today.__'_

I smile at the words, before the smile gives way to a slight frown. I know Hydrao, and he was one of those fussy people who would double and triple check a sentence for grammar mistakes. When someone has been around Nymph for long enough, you learn that skill too, and there are way too many mistakes in both those sentences.

Something is _wrong_.

It makes me think of code, but I'm sure the Capitol people would have checked it over several times, and if I had to do something to the paper to get at the real message, they would see and arrest Lyna and Hydrao. I lean back against the cool rock wall, thinking hard. Riddles and Codes were never really my think, once again that was Nymph's job, she loved them! She's probably shouting at the screen what it says right now, if only I could hear her.

Or maybe she isn't, if she thinks I've become a Career. Maybe she's shouting for my death with Marlin beside her.

'_No' _I think _'I can't think like that…'_

I read over the note again and again, hoping that doing so will bring forth new ideas, but none come. The only thing I do notice is the only 3 mistakes are the misspelling of 'Evading', random commas everywhere and no full stops, and capital letters in the wrong place. I wonder for a moment whether that has anything to do with the _Capitol _(Capital/Capitol) but dismiss it almost instantly, frowning at the letter once more.

The two notes don't seem to be connected in the same stream, and I wonder whether the second one is some kind of quote. I stare at the words 'You Cannot Escape' my mind bringing forth images of the undead things that chased me on their first night.

Hang on…

Those three words have capital letters at the front, while the rest of the sentence doesn't! Well, not the _rest _of the sentence, the words 'Tomorrow' and 'Evade-ing' have capital letters too. I skim my eyes over the other note, mentally writing down the words with Capitals.

The list I come up with is as follows:

'_You Cannot Escape Tomorrow Evading The Worst Weapon Not Mortal'_

It seems stilted somewhat, and I frown at it, the message still unclear. I think of the other errors in it, and wonder what _they _could be clues for…

It comes to me in a flash, the word 'Evading' was spelt wrong, so maybe the 'ing' is supposed to be ignored? Just 'Evade'? I add that in, so the message now reads:

'_You Cannot Escape Tomorrow Evade The Worst Weapon Not Mortal'_

But it still doesn't make that much sense – or maybe I'm just being an idiot – and I have no idea what they're trying to tell me. Suddenly, I realise (with the urge to hit myself in the face) that the two messages are the _other way round! _I hastily re-arrange them in my mind, creating the sentence:

'_The Worst Weapon Not Mortal You Cannot Escape Tomorrow Evade'_

And the commas, they were randomly added throughout the message too! With a burst of inspiration I mentally add them in-between the words that they were in-between earlier. My brain can now read the message _perfectly_.

'_The Worst Weapon, Not Mortal, You Cannot Escape, Tomorrow, Evade'_

Oddly enough, my first thought after this discovery was sort of stupid, being: _'Hah! Who said my mental notebook was pointless! Oh wait, that was me…'_

My second thought is two words long, one being the word 'Oh' and the second being four letters long, rude and beginning with the word 'S' and ending with the words 'T'. The message they were trying to send me is clear. Tomorrow the Capitol's sending back the undead things, and in large numbers too if I can't escape them. So I have until tomorrow to get out of here.

Hang on again…

When did I get sent this?

After the death of the girl yesterday.

_YESTERDAY!_

That means Tomorrow is today.

I repeat the two words I mentioned earlier, as I shove my celery into the bag, wondering if I'm already too late. I fling the bag over my shoulder and stand up, cursing loudly as my head impacts the floor. It takes me a lot of effort not to sprint out of the cave and keep running, but that would be utterly stupid. They'd know I _did _receive a code. I have to pretend that this was all coincidental, getting up before those _things _return.

I push myself through the vines, while hastily shoving my blanket into the black rucksack after the parachute and packaging. It's full to bursting at the moment, and I stagger slightly under the weight as I stand upright.

My first thought is the same as my second thought when I realised what the message read.

My second is (this time) _'WHAT DID THEY DO TO THE FRICKING SEA?'_

My mind flickers back in time, to the mirror-smooth sea that had little or no waves, with beautiful fish swimming lazily about, while it lies there, looking serene and beautiful. If I didn't know that teleportation was impossible, I would have thought I _had _teleported. The sea is no longer blue; it's a dark, murderous grey, flecked with white as it smashes against the cliff's face, sending rock and spray flying everywhere. The fish of every colour must have _died _or something, because no colour interrupts the monotone colouring of the world right now. Grey sea, grey sky, grey cliffs. If the sea wasn't slightly darker than the sky, and the cliffs slightly darker than the sea, I would be unable to tell anything apart whatsoever. I gaze, open mouthed at the world that was once so mesmerising.

It seems that in the day I've been gone, the world has gone to hell.

I can't swim in this sea, it's _way _too choppy, which means the advantage District 4 had at the start of the games has vanished completely, which might be what the Capitol was trying to do. I still can't believe the surroundings could have changed so much in a day. No, wait, not a day. It's been getting windier and less calm all the time I've been here (almost a week I think), just so gradually that no-one would tell the difference, unless one retreated to a cave for a full day. Like me.

I make my way along the path carefully, wondering whether the Capitol has already sent those undead things to kill me, but none come. I am becoming more and more paranoid at every step, sure that a hoard of mutts hides behind each corner.

But none appears.

I'm beginning to wonder whether the whole 'Cannot Escape, Evade' thing was just a ruse to get me out of my comatose state when a loud 'CRACK' sounds above me. I push myself against the wall, heart pumping loudly, wondering whether I should risk jumping in the sea. I look up, hoping for just a rock fall, or _anything _but an UNDEAD THING FALLING FROM THE SKY!

When I look out, my stomach seems to fall out of me, as my jaw hits the floor.

For the first second, I thought it _was _and undead thing, but then I remember the stuttery movements they made, and how doing _that_ would be impossible for them. Then again, I'm pretty sure it's impossible for humans too. Above me is the girl from District 12. Not above the cliff, or walking along some higher path, but pushed against the cliff's face, like a spider. She's clinging onto the sheer cliff face and moving along with an ease that should be impossible.

Where the _hell _did she learn that?

I've actually been wondering that about a lot of people in here, I mean, District 4? Fishing and Spears. District 1 and 2? Everybody knows they all train for the games eons in advance so it makes sense for them to know how to use every weapon in the book. But District 5? _Maces?_ That makes no sense at all.

District 12? Climbing?

I wonder vaguely about whether she climbs about the mines, but that idea is destroyed as I remember them talking a few games ago about 'how they don't enter the mines until 18'. And Medea is _not _18. Short and skinny, remember?

She keeps moving along, and I realise how she must have got her 7. Climbing around the walls of the training centre, perhaps making it up into the Gamemaker's box. She deserves that 7. I wonder vaguely about whether I have to kill her too, but my mind squashes that thought completely. How am I supposed to get my spear back? How am I supposed to make sure the spear doesn't fall back down onto my head.

And, of course, I don't _want _to kill her. Not in the slightest.

My mind flickers away from her, as I try to think about who's still alive. There's both from 12, Me and Kai. Nyx, Copia and the Trolls seem to be fine. Dou, obviously. Pomona and the one from District 5. 11 alive, 13 dead. Over half of us are dead, and 6 of them are Careers. And me, I'm supposed to be a Career too. 7 Careers, 4 non-Careers. With a jolt I realise that it can't be soon until the Career pack breaks up, unless a crap-load of Careers die soon, leaving more non-Careers than Careers. That could happen, but I seriously doubt it.

I wonder if Kai would survive the Career pack break up?

District 4 always had less chance of winning than the other two Career Districts, and Kai is shorter, with a lesser training score than all of the others. So he'd be one of the first to go.

My mind flickers to the image of Kai lying dead, and I mentally shake myself; I _can't _think about Kai. He's distracting and if I want to win, he had to die. And Dou, and everyone else here.

Over half of us are already dead.

The Capitol burns through us quickly, doesn't it?

I smile slightly, before I remember what I did, and what I am, and the smile slides off my face. While I've been worrying about undead things, Kai, Dou and weird secret messages, I haven't been moping about her death _'Murder'. _Doing stuff helps, and I wonder whether that's why they sent me the note. It's becoming increasingly clear that there aren't any undead things coming for me, because I doubt they'd survive this wind. It's taking most of my strength to remain upright, and when I get to the turning point by the Cornucopia, I am _sure _that I am going to fall to my death. I swivel around it quickly, glancing quickly at the Cornucopia. They seem to have abandoned it, as the packs outside it have been moved away, and I can see drag marks leading towards the forest.

The river running by it seems to have doubled in size and tripled in ferocity. It isn't even grey, just pure white water, cutting the Cornucopia off from the forest completely. If I want to enter the forest, I'll have to cross near the pool I met Dou at. If I want to cross it, that is. The other side seems to have Careers on it, and I think that this side just has me and District 12 girl, with maybe some others. I wonder where Dou is…

* * *

><p>Dou is no longer beside the pool when I get to it.<p>

And, I believe, the pool is no longer a 'pool'. It's the same size as earlier, but as the river has doubled in size, the pool has just joined onto it. It's nothing more than a small bulge in the river now.

The waterfall in unbelievable.

It's more like a river running completely vertically than a waterfall at any rate, and I leapt off the path earlier rather than wandering past the 'Oh no, I'm drowning in air' part of the route. I had to face it last time, when the waterfall was a lot tamer, and that was hard enough as it is. It hurt my leg a bit, but it was better than drowning.

That's actually my worst fear, believe it or not.

Not spiders or being hacked to death in the most painful way imaginable.

Drowning can't be that painful.

No, it's the idea of being trapped in an enclosed space while the water slowly rises around you, while you know that you can't do anything to escape, but you still hammer against the edge in a futile manner. It's my worst fear.

It's sort of weird when you realise that I live in the Fishing District, and drowning probably isn't the most likely thing to happen to me. I've been swimming before I could walk or talk. Then again, I am nearer to water than most of the other people here, and drowning is probably more likely to happen to someone living in District 4, than in one of the landlocked Districts. Not that those Districts don't have lakes.

I realise I've been standing still, staring at the pool for some time with a small start, and I walk over to it. It might be wider than the raging river further along, but it's a lot calmer too. With a quick check for sharks (probably my second worst fear, sharks are _scary_) I leap into the water, and start swimming across towards the other side.

I get around 2 meters towards the other side when I realise how strong the river is, and how much I've underestimated the raw power of the earth.

I'm used to calm sea, occasional waves and generally going in the direction I'm aiming for.

It takes me around a second to realise that rivers are _not _like that.

It pushes me forward, buffeting me this way and that as I change my direction from 'straight forwards' to 'mostly aiming upstream'. For every meter I'm moving forward, the river's pushing me 10 downstream, and its getting more and more powerful each time. If I _do _manage to somehow make it to the sea in one piece, it'll be a minor miracle, and I don't know if I'll survive in the pit of rage and fury that used to be a sea.

Ahead I can see rapids, and I propel myself further forwards with all the strength I've got, I'm only inches away from the river bank now!

With seconds to go until impact, I stretch out my hand and grab onto an outcrop of rock, holding on despite the protesting pain in my arm. I realise too late that I grabbed with my injured arm, still in pain from the knife wound. I grit my teeth and attempt to swing my legs onto the rocky beach. Sighing in relief as I manage to hook a leg around a rock too. I don't think that my arm would have been able to hold on of its own accord much longer.

I use my free arm to grab another rock further in, and kick hard with my other leg, rolling myself out of the river and onto the stony beach. For one mad second, I think my arm has gained sentience and has started to swear loudly, until I realise that it's just me, being the mad old rage girl.

I'm pretty sure that I _am _just a mad old rage girl now.

I'm sure a mask can't be this descriptive and imaginative about its choice of swear words.

With another huge effort I push myself up; my arm aching again like it did after the knife embedded into it. I have gone _extremely _far downstream, and I realise (with a sinking heart) that it'll be Nye on impossible to swim back across. It _will _be impossible if the weather gets any worse. Knowing the Capitol, it _will _get worse too. I gaze at the jagged rocks of the rapids, wondering whether I would have survived going through them.

Somehow I think not.

I shiver slightly as I remember Memo Clearwater, the boy in Movii's year, and how he died. It's funny how I think of him now, for the first time in _years_, after nearly dying the same way he did.

* * *

><p>It was a cold day in November, and Movii had just had her 6th Birthday. I was 11, and extremely apprehensive. It was my birthday in a couple of weeks and then I would be 12. 12 is synonymous with 'eligible for slaughter' across Panem, and it was no exception in District 4. I was taking Movii back from school with me, Meena refused point blank for her to walk back on her own, even though most of the 6 year olds in her class did it. I was slightly irritated, because I had to walk with her, not my own friends (A slightly more childish Nymph and slightly shorter Marlin). We were walking past the only river in our part of District 4, and it had been raining for a couple of days too, heavily.<p>

Movii was arguing with me about something stupid, like not being allowed to but sweets. It sounds so much pettier than it did then. We were standing on the bridge watching a group of other 6 year olds play by it, chucking sticks in and then racing along the bank to bend over the river and pick up the stick again. Innocent fun.

Or so everyone thought.

6 year old Memo threw his stick in and was charging after it when he tripped on a rock. He landed on the mud, and everything would have been OK if it wasn't for the rain. The mud was slippy and he simply _slid _across it, arms flailing like an upturned beetle. He landed in the river with a loud 'THWACK' while his friends laughed at him. They didn't understand.

Within a second he had been pulled under, dragged closer to the bridge with each second. I had frozen on the bridge the second he fell in, wanting to do something but hoping someone else would do it first. No one else made a move.

He swept past the bridge towards the rapids, screaming all the way, and then stopped. For a glorious second I (and everybody else watching) assumed he had regained control, and would be swimming towards the shore soon to laugh about it with all of his friends.

But then we realised what had happened.

His foot must have got caught in something, as his mouth was barely above water, though his arms flailed continually. He screamed again as the water continued to rise above him, still trapped in the rocks.

I was still frozen on the bridge.

The water was almost at his mouth then and Movii and the other 6 year olds had realised that something was wrong, and were running alongside the river, reaching forwards to grab his arms and pull. By that time I had unfrozen, and was at the river's edge too, pulling his arm with all my might.

Others were coming too, but none could dislodge him, and no-one wanted to leap into the river to release his foot.

The water was rising higher, and covered his mouth in mere minutes.

He stopped moving a few minutes after, his arms limp in the water, his face visible beneath the surface.

He was inches away from the surface too.

They didn't remove the body until the water levels had lowered enough for a rescue attempt to be necessary.

2 weeks later.

I had to walk past that bridge every day in that time, and look down at him and know that _I could have done something._

But I didn't.

It could be said that that was the first murder I committed, because it was certainly the first death that occurred because of me. It was definitely the first dead body I ever saw in real life, and the first death I saw that wasn't on the TV screen.

I stopped thinking about him after the first reaping, and I haven't done for years, even though it was the cause of my fear of drowning. Being so close to safety but an inch too far away. I hate rivers.

I look at the river I am sitting by now, and wonder if how I felt was how Memo felt as he rushed towards his death. Panic stricken and desperate to escape, despite thinking that escape was impossible. I turn away from the river, and begin to make my way towards the forest, untying my spear from the pack. That was one thing I did right, if I had tried to jump into the river _holding _the spear, I'd either have lost it in the current or stabbed myself with it because of the same thing.

I turn and walk into the forest, shivering at the memory of his pale, terrified face.

Just inches away from the surface.

But on the wrong side of the surface nonetheless.


	20. Failing

**New chapter! Woo! This one _is _a bit rushed towards the end, because I'm rushing so I can go play Portal 2. Portal 2 _is _epic. Go play it now. Anyway, read this and please review, as this is my 20th chapter! A mini-milestone! I also beat 60,000 words last time, which means I only have one 'Words x' thing to go! The big one, 100,000 words! Wish me luck on my personal goal! Now read and review please!**

**Disclaimer - You know I don't need to do this to stay inside the law? Well, the law is weird, my view is that 'illegal is always faster' Quote from Eoin Colfer!**

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><p><strong>Failing<strong>

The wind was sending spray at me when I stay near the river, so I don't want to stay near it too long. Add onto that the fact that it gives me creepy flashbacks of Memo, and that reminds me of the girl from District 7, dead because of me. The odd thing is, whenever I think of her now, the pain is lessened somewhat. It's still there, and it still _hurts_, but oddly enough, thinking of Memo reminded me of why I'm here, and why I have to do this. Even if I hate it, everyone here would kill me or want me dead if they were given the chance. And here in the Hunger Games _is _the perfect chance.

The forest no longer seems to be calm and quiet, the wind is louder now, and I could probably talk to myself and not be heard. The trees are swaying ominously too, and I find it hard to believe anyone could hide in them. The whole 'increase wind speed' thing must have sent all the other tributes out of their hiding places. I can't stay in the cave – the path is almost impossible to traverse now – and I don't think I could hide in one of these trees. They've put us all on the ground, so we're more likely to run into one another.

Luckily, I haven't seen anyone since the girl from District 12 who was climbing the cliff face, even though I've been walking for well over an hour. I still can't believe she was doing that, the wind makes it hard to walk properly and it is just started to rain too. Those cliffs must be slippy and dangerous but she can still climb on them.

Wish I could.

I stop in my trek to wipe the drizzle out of my eyes. I've only ever seen drizzle in the Games, believe it or not. Back home the rain is thick and heavy, and when it rains the water is warm enough for you to have a shower in it, if you don't mind standing outside naked. Here the rain is cold, and it makes me feel like my very bones are shivering inside me. It is less like rain and more like super-concentrated fog, and it's certainly brought visibility down to almost nothing. That's not going to help matters, and I wonder whether the Capitol will keep at it, because it won't bring the kill count up, even if it does make it more atmospheric.

I briefly wonder about taking my blanket out my bag and wearing it like a coat, but decide against it. If I _do _wear it, it'll get all soggy, and I won't get much sleep. That being if I can find anywhere to sleep in this fog. I really don't want to have to sleep in the open.

Suddenly, I hear something different from the whistling wind or pitter-patter of rain. A half roaring sound. A river. Is it the one I left? I've heard that people start circling when they don't have landmarks. I take another step forwards, wary of rivers now, after my near-death experience a couple of hours ago. As I walk forwards it looms into my field of vision. It isn't full of white water like the one I almost drowned it, but it's certainly swollen. It was probably more of a stream then a river, before it started to rain. I'd hazard a guess at about 3 feet wide, though it is only a few inches deep by the look of it.

Then again, I heard that you can drown in as little as 6 inches of water, and drowning really isn't the way I want to die.

However, this is a good place for me to stop to fill my water bottle without the danger of it being snatched from my grasp by the current. Throwing the pack over one shoulder I unzip it, pulling out the black bottle hidden in the blanket. The river's water probably isn't the cleanest, but I haven't had water poisoning yet, and I haven't got any iodine or water purification tablets so it'll have to do.

I lean forwards and let the river fill it up, before downing the water in one gulp. I didn't realise I was thirsty until I saw the river, though I suppose it's harder to get thirsty when you're practically breathing in water. I refill the bottle and shove it back into the pack. I also bring out the stick of celery Lyna and Hydrao sent me, along with the small note. I smile at the celery fondly, before automatically checking over my shoulder for undead creatures. I realise now how they got the note past the Gamemakers. I'm sure the Capitolites wouldn't see anything wrong with someone from the Districts making spelling and grammar errors. I'm pretty sure the Capitol thinks we're all utter simpletons who don't care for manners in the slightest.

Gaia certainly thought so.

Gaia obviously hasn't met Nymph.

I smile at the memory, watching the river as I reminisce about District 4. It's almost like my mind has grown old without my body noticing, leaving me to think about the 'good old days'. True, not all of the 'old days' were good. I can't forget Memo now, and that's not even bringing up the subject of when I almost died of dehydration at least 4 times.

I push myself up; I can't think of the past all the time, my present and future depend on me staying alert. I can reminisce when I'm old and grey with grandkids. Not now. I look up and down the river. Up is towards the plains, if my mental map is right (I'd only give it a 50% chance of being correct though, I can get myself lost in a paper bag). Downwards is towards the sea, and fish. Probably Careers and other tributes too. Of the people left in the games only two are from Districts near plains, Pomona the hulk and Dou. I don't really mind running into Dou, and Pomona's with the Careers. (I doubt they've broken up this early on in the games. Normally they wait until final 6 or 7). I don't think anyone else will go up to the plains.

'_Anyway' _I think _'I haven't been there yet, it'll be like an adventure!'_

Joy, sweet joy.

I turn left and begin to follow it upstream, stopping every minute or so to check that I'm not going to be attacked by someone following me. It seems like I am alone until about 10 minutes into my journey.  
>I don't see anyone, but there are definite signs that someone is camping here, near a fork in the river I've been following.<p>

How can I tell?

Simple, there's a sleeping bag laid out, camouflaged (badly) with mud. Along with that are the remnants of a fire, but I doubt that it would start now, seeing how soggy the wood is. Someone is camping here.

I wonder absently about waiting here for the person to return, but the sensible and logical part of my brain (that seems to have taken a holiday during the last few days) puts its foot down. It could be anyone's! Well, that's not really true, the Careers have more stuff and that only leaves Dou, District 5 girl and the two from 12. It could be anyone who isn't me or a Career.

Dou didn't have a sleeping bag though.

District 5 girl, Din, was hiding in a bush when I saw her last.

The girl from 12 was climbing impossibly sheer cliff faces, and I don't remember seeing a pack on her either.

That leaves the boy from 12. I don't really remember much about him though. He was tall and good looking, and he did get a pretty good score but I haven't actually seen him since the bloodbath. I have no idea what he's like! Dou and Din probably wouldn't kill me, but I'm not sure about either of the ones from 12. It's probably best if I just leave it alone.

I could take the sleeping bag, but it's more stuff to carry, and it doesn't look in particularly good condition either. I can see a tear down one side, and I doubt it's waterproof anyway, so it'd be soggy too. I'm better off with my blanket.

If it does turn out to be Dou's (he could have been sponsored) then I don't want to take his stuff. If I can't win (and Kai can't win) I'd want Dou to do it, and I really don't want to kill him, even if it was both of us in the final two.

It would be stupid to try to kill Din after I wasted so much saving her life and letting her go free.

I don't particularly want to kill either of the ones from District 12, everybody knows they're the poorest District, so maybe they'll die of starvation without me.

…

Hope the rain stops soon.

So I straighten up and walk on, trying to quash the feeling I wimped out of doing an incredibly easy job by making up awful excuse about why not to do it.

It's hard to quash the feeling when I know that it's true.

* * *

><p>It's probably an hour or so until dusk when I see something that makes my heart leap with joy (that isn't Kai, Dou or a hovercraft coming to rescue me from these games and take me to an island where my family, Nymph, Marlin, Kai, Dou and so many others are all standing around having a massive party. Sadly).<p>

A rabbit.

A fat rabbit.

A _really _fat rabbit.

A rabbit so fat it makes me hungry just looking at it.

A rabbit so fat it takes all my restraint to stop making sarcastic comments about how fat the aforementioned rabbit is.

A rabbit that I really, _really_ want to eat right now.

I raise my spear in my good arm (though my other one has been healing brilliantly, thank god) and prepare to hit it. I can do it easily if the rabbit just stays still, and doesn't move for about a second. I slowly draw my arm back, trying not to make a sound while I do it. Just as I've drawn it back as far as it will go, the rabbit turns, stopping from its devouring of the grass and leaves on the floor to look straight at me.

I freeze,

It keeps looking at me, while I hold my breath, silently begging for it not to scarper. It keeps staring at me, and I can feel my arm holding the spear wobble.

'_Please' _I plead mentally _'I haven't eaten in __**ages**_**, **_don't move. No, wait, __**do **__move, but just turn towards your grass again. Look, the grass is tasty! You know you want it! Go on, go eat your grass! Please!'_

It keeps staring at me, and I realise I must have been holding my breath for a minute or so, as I was starting to sway on the spot due to lack of oxygen.

Maybe it's fallen to sleep or something? Do rabbits fall asleep with their eyes open? I could chuck the spear now and just hope its fallen to sleep, dreaming about… carrots or whatever rabbits dream about. If rabbits dream that it.

What do I know, I'm from the _fishing District_! I know _nothing _about rabbits, or what rabbits do, or whether they fall asleep with their eyes open and dream of carrots! I do know that I am hungry, and like the river earlier, I needed to see potential food to make myself realise how _goddamn hungry I am!_

With a sound like an explosion, my body exhales.

The rabbit seems to smirk at me, before it turns and bounces into the woods. Or maybe it's more of a gallop then a bounce. But galloping's for horse though?

"Nooooooooo…" I wail, though quietly, like I've had my volume turned down. Or, more likely, through lack of use. I don't think I've talked since I threatened to disembowel the head Gamemaker.

Good times.

I can't just let the rabbit go though! I'm a _human!_ I'm supposed to be superiorly intelligent to rabbitkind! So, with a sense of doom so thick in the air you could cut it with a knife, I race after the rabbit, determined to eat something tonight.

'_Honestly, it's a __**rabbit**__' _I reason _'I've faced undead monsters and fellow human beings who want to find me and kill me slowly. What's a rabbit compared to them?'_

I see the white blob of fur ahead of me, and prepare to chuck the spear at it.

'_Honestly, how hard can it be?'_

* * *

><p>And that is why I should not be allowed to hunt.<p>

For the last hour I've been chasing this stupid, smelly, ugly, _stupid _rabbit. Darkness is slowly falling around me, and I think as soon as I do manage to catch the _stupid _rabbit, it'll be dark again. I bet the Capitol's watching me fail at this too, which is why neither Lyna nor Hydrao have sent me anything to eat. Bet they're playing 'Yakety Sax' while watching me chase the rabbit.

Screw them.

Screw the rabbit.

But I can't just let the rabbit escape.

That's what the rabbit _wants._

I threw my spear at it, and _every single time _it manages to evade it, before it gives me the rabbit equivalent of a smirk and bounces off to another part of the forest. I still think it looks more like a gallop than a bounce, but if I say 'Galloping Rabbits' it sounds more like a catchphrase than a factual observation.

Anyway.

I've been getting further and further away from the plains, I'm pretty certain about that now. The forest's becoming denser again, and I keep almost tripping over tree roots in my mad chase after the rabbit. It's distracting me too, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't notice if another tribute sneaking up behind me with an axe, or even a moaning undead thingy. I don't think the Capitol would send the undead thingies though, not when I'm being so amusing, failing at hunting so badly.

I take another step forward, seeing a clearing ahead, with a ball of fluffiness that has to be that, _stupid_, rabbit!

It seems to sense that I am near (probably something to do with _having eyes?_) and looks up, making me thing of the last time it did that, when I was sent on the mad goose chase. Well, mad rabbit chase anyway. It sniffles its nose and I realise – with an incredibly self-righteous smirk – I am downwind of it, so it can't smell me. Fish are so much easier to catch than rabbits. You don't have to know all about which way the wind's blowing to catch a fish, and fish are _not _as infuriating as rabbits are.

Especially this one.

It's completely white and seems to glow slightly in the dark of the clearing. That'll be helpful, if I keep chasing it when it gets completely dark.

'_Come __**on**_**' **the newly re-instated sensible bit of my brain pleads _'Just leave the rabbit. If you're lucky you can find the stream and go fishing. Just leave the rabbit'_

Sadly, the logical and sensible part of my brain is tiny compared to the rest of it. So I keep going after the rabbit. I edge towards the rabbit, hoping this time will be the successful one. Unlike the other 2,816 times. [Citation Needed] I'm almost there, I raise the spear above my head, almost ready. I move my arm backwards, watching as the rabbit – my _dinner_ – snuffles into the ground, unaware that it will soon be my first meal for _far too long._

I am a second away from throwing it and then…

I throw it.

And at the last second the rabbit moves an inch out of the way, and the spear flies past it, embedding itself in the ground.

I shout an obscene swear word as loudly as I can, so loudly, in fact the sound echoes around the forest for a few seconds. Then I clasp my hand over my mouth in horror. _Anyone _could have heard me! I should really get out of here. Really.

I glance towards the route I saw the rabbit take, and the two parts of my brain have a vicious, totally imaginary fight. After the sensible bit of my brain has been beaten into submission, I follow after the rabbit again, more cautiously though, aware that I might be being tracked now, and I really _don't _want that.

I see a flash of white ahead, and walk quicker, determined that the rabbit _will be mine!_

I increase my speed after it and the wind howls around me as I break into a run. But by this time the rabbit is long gone, and I see no flash of white to alert me to its position. I whirl around in a circle, spear out and stomach growling loudly.

"No…" I say hoarsely, as I realise that the rabbit is gone, and I won't be eating tonight. All this running around after the rabbit has done nothing but reveal my position to other tributes and weaken me further. And I don't have any food to eat tonight anyway, so this was all a waste of time. And I've probably made the sponsors think I'm an idiot too. I _might _be an idiot, but it doesn't mean I want the Capitolites to _know _that I'm an idiot. And that means they might not send me anything to eat, _ever._

First thing tomorrow, I'll go find something to eat, before I waste away.

I frown at my arm and pinch it, eyes widening as I realise I can feel nothing but bone between my fingers. That's… not good. Not good at all. Most likely I'm dying of hunger then, as well as being hunted too. I didn't even _realise _I was starving to death.

And I am, aren't I?

I moan slightly with worry, before stopping abruptly. _That _can't be good for my image. I put a hand to my stomach, checking for the other signs of starvation, or at least the extreme signs. Luckily, it's not swollen, because that would be _bad_. As in _bad_, bad.

But I can't spend the rest of the day lying here and complaining about my meagre food supply.

I push myself up, wincing slightly as I put my left arm down. It's healed well for a wound in the games, no infection, but that's probably because of the salt water that I swam in on the first day. Otherwise known as the sea.

I have no idea where I am.

I stand in the trees, wind blowing my straggly, muddy and greasy hair in the wind, more like rope than hair to be completely honest. The wind's making it damp too. I shiver slightly as I realise how cold it's got while I've been failing at catching the rabbit. Darkness has taken over fully, and I vaguely wonder why it has got dark so quickly – it never did that back home – but remember where I am.

Is it normal for it to become dark in a matter of hours?

No.

But is it normal for the sea to become stormy in a matter of hours? Or for the temperature to drop so rapidly?

Probably, and certainly normal when you're in the Arena.

And I _still _have no idea where I am.

I gaze around, hopelessness starting to rise up, as I realise I am hungry, alone and in the dark. I take a few steps forward just to have something to do. If I keep walking I'll reach somewhere eventually, right? The trees seem to be becoming sparser, and that makes sense, as they were getting thicker when I was following the rabbit, and now I'm going in the opposite direction the reverse should be true.

* * *

><p>After another considerable period of time, where the blackness of night has become thicker and thicker, I break through the line of trees that mark the entrance to the forest. The anthem went off while I was in the forest, even though nobody died today. Luckily for me, I managed to walk in the direction of the plains, not the raging sea or the Cornucopia where the Careers are. That would have been a death sentence.<p>

The place I come out of is nowhere near where I entered, and I can't see the cliffs anywhere nearby. They should be opposite the forest, with the grassy plains in the middle. I must be far away from the Cornucopia if the wedge of plain is wide enough for that.

Good.

I shouldn't go there if I want to stay alive.

Which I plan to do.

I look around the edge of the forest for somewhere to sleep. A bush would be preferable to a tree, as there's a very real danger of being blown out of it, and it isn't like I can tie myself it. Well, I could, but it wouldn't be the best night's sleep, would it? Being frozen solid in a tree with the danger of being pushed out of the tree and falling to the ground with a loud bang isn't my idea of a comfy bed.

Nearby is a small bush, which could probably fit me in if I curled up in a ball.

I walk over to it, and bend down next to it; it's a bit too spikey to be perfect, but beggars can't be choosy, and neither can people in the Hunger Games. It could fit me, and if I used my spear I could make it a bit cosier.

But this night is going to be a long one, isn't it? I sigh and grab a stick nearby, a bit too nervous about losing my only weapon to _use _my spear to do this. I shove the stick deep inside the bush and wiggle it about a bit, wondering if that's what you're supposed to do. I never did spend enough time in the shelter building station at the training centre, and now I'm paying for it.

After 15 minutes or so (it's hard to tell when the sun's gone down though) I have succeeded in making a slight hole in the middle, making it look slightly like a cave, or maybe a nest one of those birds makes in the rafters. Maybe a rat's nest, but I prefer not to compare my handiwork to that of a rat's, no matter how justified the comparison is. I take off my backpack, realising now how much of a strain it was causing my back. I shove the pack into the hole and stand back to see if I can see it. I can't, but it is coloured black, and I'm wearing a shade of bright blue.

Maybe…

I yank the pack back out of the bush-cave and unzip it, pulling out the blanket I've been sleeping in these last few days. It's slightly damp due to the spray that was entering the cave, but apart from that it's perfectly fine. I wrap it around the pack, as I'll do to myself before I go to sleep, and step back again. It's a slightly different shade of black to the pack, and sticks out quite a bit.

That means I'm going to have to disguise it before I go to sleep.

Muttering darkly, I wander off in search of sticks and mud, careful not to wander too far away, as all my stuff is in that bush (minus the spear). As I wander in a circle, collecting sticks I think about what I've done so far. The death of the girl from District 7 seems almost a lifetime ago to me, and my life back home in District 4 seems so far ago it might not have been real for all I know, a dream even.

Dou and Kai must be alive, because unless I blacked out mysteriously, no cannon has gone off today, and I'm not sure whether this is a good thing or not. I don't _want _Dou to die, but I can't let him survive, and the same for Kai too.

The Hunger Games suck.

And I'm still not sure whether I want to win, and I'm wondering whet-***BAM!***

I fall backwards, scattering twigs everywhere. I slam my spear into my attacker as my heart rate slowly returns to normal.

A tree.

I walked into a tree.

_I walked into a flipping tree._

These games _suck!_

I grab my sticks and walk off in a sulk, luckily finding my bush-cave first time. I'd be dead if I couldn't find it, and I quite like being alive, thank you very much. Death, a fate worse than life.

I pull my pack out and remove the blanket from around it, wrapping it around myself like a towel. I put the pack back in again, and (ignoring the pangs of hunger in my stomach) carefully begin placing sticks around the edges of my bush-cave. I then carefully shuffle in, making sure not to disturb it.

Finally, I'm inside, and I close my eyes, trying to force myself to go to sleep.

Then…

***BOOM***

My first thought is one of irritation, as I am once again awoken from my sleep, and then wonder about whether they _do _time these cannon blasts just to piss me off.

My second, more rational thought is; 1 down, 9 to go.

My third thought, which should have probably been my first thought is _'Oh no…' _someone is dead. Someone who might be Dou or Kai. Hell, it might even be me, and I'm a ghost. That'd be a twist, though if it was a film, I'd want my money back. The whole 'oh no, I've been dead all along' plot really is awful…

But I can't find out who died until the anthem in the morning.

So I force myself back into a fretful sleep, dreading the dawn.


	21. Breaking

**Sorry this has taken so long! School started again and it's exam year for me! I got set 4 pieces of Homework on my first day! My physics teacher is evil, he's basically Voldemort reincarnate. Anyhoo, Pivotal, Pivoting is on hold at the mo', as my creative brain cells are on holiday, thinking through plots for my brain-child, the 'Conflicts' series. Ask no questions and I will tell you no lies! Mwahahah! Now read and review! It's almost the final 8, and then there'll be interviews at home, which I may or may not write. What do you think I should do?**

**Disclaimer - I do not own the Hunger Games. I am Hungry, and I _do _own Hungry, Hungry Hippos, so I do technically own a _Hungry _Games. But my lawyers tell me the two are different. Sadly.**

**NEWSFLASH! THIS _WILL _BE UPDATED! I'VE GOT EXAMS AT THE MOMENT, BUT IT _ISN'T _ABANDONED! DON'T FEAR!**

* * *

><p><strong>Breaking<strong>

Dawn comes for me, and I am awoken by the sound of Panem's anthem. At first I just stay hidden in the bush, not really caring about what might be shown in the sky, but a second later I remember what happened the night before. The cannon blast in the night which means that one more of us is dead, and I'm one person closer to getting back home. And it sickens me to know that one small part of me feels relieved about this fact. My one saving grace is that the rest of me feels ill with anticipation. Kai could be dead. Dou could be dead. Anyone could be dead and I don't even know it yet. As soon as that Anthem's finished, someone will be dead.

Schrodinger's Cat.

I wriggle myself out of the bush, still covered in the dark blanket. That was a bad idea; it can be clearly seen in daylight, and I just have to count myself lucky that no-one happened to come past the place I was sleeping. I've been relying too heavily on luck – luck is never guaranteed in the Arena, far from it most of the time.

And so I stare up at the sky, the urge to know, but yet still to not know, filling me completely.

And then the face flashes across the sky.

I feel myself sway slightly, but make no move to stop it.

'_No…_' I think, blinking slightly and staring back up at the face, hoping that I'm just too sleepy to see properly, and he's not dead. He _can't_ be dead…

But the face stays the same, staring down at me without seeing. And he will never see again.

And with one final flash, the image of Dou fades away from the sky.

I stay still, still staring up at the spot where his name was displayed, nothing but dull shock entering my brain. If I thought it was bad when I kil- when the girl from District 7 died, it was nothing compared to this. I was filled with grief and guilt, and I wished I could just die and stop the pain, but now… I am just _empty_.

Well, almost.

Some emotion is returning to me as I continue to gape at the sky, but it isn't the emotion I would think it would be. Not grief or guilt but just… Anger.

I want to find the person who killed Dou. I want to find them and show them exactly why the Capitol calls me the Rage Girl. I want to hunt them down and make them hurt until they beg for the pain to stop.

I want to fight.

My guilt over killing has been completely overridden by my urging for vengeance, now, for the death of a friend. He was _innocent! _He didn't deserve to die! Least of all in this hell-hole, he should have died at home, with people who loved him, not here in this dump! And not in the way he died, because I know the maths, and the places. The only people who could have killed him are the boy from 12, the girl from 5 or _them_. And I know how they would have done it.

And I want them to pay.

Fuelled completely by anger, I grab the pack through the branches of the bush and rip it straight out, leaving strips of black flapping pointlessly in the window, tell-tell markers that I was there, making it easy for _them_ to track me. But I don't care anymore, not now. _Let _them find me, and I'll make them hurt.

I realise now that I've been clutching my bag so tight the blood has left my hand, leaving it cold and bloodless, white against the black of the bag. Almost corpse-like in appearance. I chuck it over my shoulder and grip my spear ever-tighter in my hand. I make to take a step forward but almost fall at the first step – I'm still swaying so badly – I right myself and let the rage show on my face, so the Capitol knows. I was wondering about whether I wanted to win a few days ago, but now I know.

I want to win.

I want to go home.

I want to win and make their lives _hell_.

So I stumble through the forest, looking for a fight. I don't care if it's 5 against 1, I will win, and they. Will . _Pay_.

Now I have a purpose time seems to have sped up, hours are no longer the torturous passage of time that I endured after the girl from District 7's death. I seem to be walking quicker now, and the steps I take seem to resonate sound throughout the forest, practically broadcasting my location to the whole _fucking _world. Why don't they just come? Why don't they just _come!_

I feel like screaming, just so they'll come, thinking I'm injured or weak, just like Dou, and then they'll pay.

They. Will. _Pay!_

'_I'M HERE!' _I yell inside my head _'I WANT TO FIGHT! COME AND GET ME IF YOU THINK YOU CAN!'_

And still they do not come.

So I'll have to come to them.

* * *

><p>The first place I look is the Cornucopia, though it takes me 3 hours of fast walking to find the damn place, I must have walked so far yesterday. The gold glints off it without a care in the world, but the place itself is empty, of both people and things, though they might still be near there, on the other side of the river. They could have hidden themselves around it to spring a trap, though it's not the most likely thing to have happened. Most likely they moved on when they realised all the 'prey' was on the other side of the river.<p>

Talking of the river…

If I thought it was deadly looking yesterday, I wouldn't have wanted to see it today. The rain has increased from cold drizzle the previous day to thick droplets that splatter audibly. The river has swollen again to become twice as thick as it was the day before.

But I'm crossing it.

I secure the pack tighter on my shoulders to stop it falling off in the river. The spear almost stabbed into me yesterday, so I won't risk it again today. I gaze around the other side of the river bank, wondering whether I could chuck it across.

Does it really matter?

No.

I ready my arm to throw and chuck it hard, watching with some satisfaction as it digs itself into the mud about 3 feet behind the river with a dull 'phutt' sound followed by a loud plop that seems to echo around the place. And now for me. I raise my arms alongside myself and push myself off in a perfect (if I do say so myself) swan dive. The dive itself propels me across most of the river, and the rest of the swim is practically easy now, for some unknown reason. The raging water is nothing compared to me. I reach the bank on the other side in mere seconds this time, only moving a few feet downstream. I push myself up and reach forward to grab my spear, clutching it firmly as I pull it out of the mud with a squelch that reminds me of the girl from 7 again.

I straighten up fully, glancing around the clearing in the vain hope that they will appear, but they don't. The only sound apart from my shallow breathing is the river, pounding loudly. No-one could hear me if I screamed, not that I plan on doing so, anyway. I walk towards the Cornucopia, and gaze inside it, but I find it completely bare of anything that could help me, or anything that could lead me to their location. I guess I'll just have to wander around the place until I find them, which shouldn't be that hard. I'm looking for them, they're looking for me, and the Capitol wants both of us to find the other. I'd give it half an hour.

I walk towards the sea this time, not willing to swim the river again, and dive into it. The waves are massive, and I have to swim hard to keep them from pulling me under completely, but I manage it. I swim around, feeling the river's mouth pushing me out, further to sea, further into the waves. Luckily there isn't any current or I could be sucked down into the bottom and drown. Also luckily there aren't any mutt animals in the sea, or I could be eaten. I swim at a 45 degree angle to the shore, passing by the river in a few strong strokes and slowly moving further back towards the shore, a grey-golden smudge between the green-grey forest and grey sea and sky.

When I reach it, I turn quickly towards the forest, where wind can be heard howling between the trees. That's where they'd be, if the Cornucopia was empty, they'd be in _there_. Hunting. The hunters are now the hunted.

A shout can be heard over the sound of the wind and I turn towards it. Through the sheets of rain and trees I can see several indistinct silhouettes of people ahead. _Multiple _silhouettes of people. It's them.

I step forward quickly, spear raised above my head as I come close enough to hear their voices, brought to me by the wind. All of them are there, and they seem to be hunting. Or perhaps they found the person they were hunting and they're just playing with their prey. It wouldn't surprise me at all.

"What're we gonna do with you, eh?" One of the voices says as I step closer. I can't make out who is who though, not from this distance, but I can recognise it as male. One of the Trolls or _him_.

"Dunno" says a female voice, "What do you suggest Loki?" Copia, it's got to be her. Nyx had a quiet voice and Pomona sounds like an utter imbecile when she speaks. This voice is high and cruel.

Then there's a sound of a something sharp being removed from a pouch and I walk quicker. I might be a murderer but I want things to be quick, apart from for _them_. Gasps of surprise echo around the clearing as I realise that it wasn't one of them who removed a weapon, but the prey. Or the _not _prey. They're still outnumbered completely though, 5-1.

'_No' _my mind think viciously _'5-2'_

And I leap out into the clearing.

The 5 of them stand in a semi-circle around the prey, weapons held out towards a figure holding a bloodied mace. I can't tell whether it's animal or human.

'_But it better not be his…'_

More gasps of surprise, thought these ones are quickly stifled. I look around at them, trying to stop the thumping of blood pumping through my head, making it hard to hear anything. If I want to liv- if I want them to die, I need all my senses with me. His face looks at me, something between fear and surprise etched on his features. I know instantly that he doesn't want to fight me, be it because he's my District partner, or just because I might put up a bit of a fight. Dou wouldn't have put up a fight, and they know it.

But I will.

The person next to me stiffened when I appeared, perhaps thinking I was with them, and now she was outnumbered 6-1. She looks at me in confusion, before the confusion turns to fear and then confusion again. Maybe remembering the last time we met.

And how I let her go.

She cocks her head to one side like a dog, asking for explanations, and I nod slightly before turning back to them, holding my spear tighter than ever. My knife is held in my left hand, withdrawn from the pack after I landed on the shore. My arm no longer aches with the pain of my first wound, and I look at them.

'_Come on then. Cowards'_

I speak for the first time in days "Come on then!" I say. My voice comes out louder than I was expecting; I thought it might be hoarse from underuse. "Or don't you like it when your opponents are armed?"

Copia laughs slightly from the centre of the group. Her hair's still golden and smooth, and she tosses it over one shoulder as she talks. "I thought you might be able to count. There's 5 of us" she gestures around at them all of them and I see Kai look even less happy with the situation than the girl from 5, Din. "And only 2 of you." She gives me and Din a demeaning look.

Oh well, time to flip off the Cthulhu.

"Yeah" I say flippantly "You don't like it when the odds are fair, do you?"

Din's now looking between me and them with a look which quite plainly says 'What. The. Hell?'.

Copia lets out a small snarl of rage and leaps at me with a knife held in her arm. Stupid move to do, especially when I'm holding a spear. I sidestep her and she shoots past me into a tree, giving a small *oof* as she hits it hard in the face. Din lifts her mace up (hand on a second, where did she get a mace? She didn't have one last time…) and slams it down in the direction of Copia's head. Din's weeping face appears in front of my eyes. Was all that an act last time?

This seems to set everyone off, and everybody storms forward. Kai still stands still, looking slightly nervous.

Camulos strikes out with a kick, knocking Din sideways and causing her mace to swing wildly on its chain, just missing my head. I chucked myself to the ground just in time and it whizzes (mostly) harmlessly over my head, falling back down on Camulos who lets out a bellow of pain. I'm about to help Din when something slams into me hard, and I can tell from the smell who it is.

Pomona doesn't even have a knife as far as I can tell.

I grasp for my spear, which flew out of my hands when she tackled me to the floor, but it's inches out of my reach. Pomona lifts her foot up and brings it down, hard, onto my face.

I hear a crack like a bullet as my nose breaks, sending warm liquid streaming down my face. Pomona brings her foot up again, this time aiming for my neck, I close my eyes.

A sound of pain and a loud thud.

I throw my eyes open in time to see Pomona staggering back, the whole of the left side of her face bleeding profusely, hands clasped against it.

She removes her hand and reaches for a weapon, and I supress the urge to vomit with difficulty.

Her left eye is hanging out, and the rest of her face looks like a slab of raw meat, bloodied and raw. I whirl round to see Din holding the mace, a look of pure fury on her face.

The Capitol obviously got the wrong girl when they named me the rage girl.

"That's for Worke" She says with a hiss, but before she can raise the mace any higher I reach out with my left hand, the forgotten knife still clasped between my fingers. Pomona gives a small yelp as redness spills around her stomach. Then her eyes close and her breaths stop.

***BOOM***

A cannon goes off loudly, and I hear some gasps, of pain or surprise. I cannot tell. I look up from her corpse to see Nyx, Copia and Loki, still fighting Din. She's managing to keep her own against 3 (well, 2 and a half) trained killers. True, 2 of them are utter idiots. Copia's holding a weapon now, one which isn't a short knife. Her Katana dances around Din as she leaps about, missing Loki's wild swings too. Like Pomona, Loki fights without weapons, just his fists. Nyx has a row of knives stuck to her belt, but Din's attempts to reach her are stopping her from using them. That's probably why Din's targeting her. Kai's still hovering at the edge of the fight, not wanting to run away, but not wanting to fight either.

I look at Pomona's ex-body.

"And that was for _Dou _you bitch!" I say quietly as I turn back towards Din and the others. I reach down and pick up my spear, meaning to thrust it towards at Loki or Copia, to help Do-_Din_. They seem to hear me, and Loki ducks, somehow aware of my presence, but stays fighting Din. Nyx somehow saw my efforts, and turns to me , leaving Loki and Copia fighting Din. Nyx is fighting me.

_Nyx _is fighting me.

Was all that weakness an act too? Like me, like Din?

Did Dou have an act?

Is _anyone _real here?

I am about to throw the spear at her head, when something stops me. I never liked Pomona, but Nyx? She was nice, could I really kill her. A sneer shoots across her face as I realise, this was her _plan_.

I can't kill her. I don't think I can.

I duck as a knife is thrown at my head, and it hits the tree behind me with a loud sound.

'_Why did I think this was a good idea!' _My brain shouts at me _'I'm going to die now!' _I throw the spear blindly, and a scream sounds as I see Nyx staggering back, spear embedded in her right thigh.

And now I have no weapon.

Nyx seems to be in no state to fight me though, so I step forwards to help Din when I hear the breaking of twigs and crunch of soil underfoot sound behind me. I manage to whirl around in time to see the large form of Camulos bearing down on me, large sword held above his head. Obviously Din didn't kill him, because he looks very much alive to me.

And where did he get a sword from?

No time to worry about that now.

I leap aside but the sword slams into my knife, cutting it clean in two. The metal is cut through like a warm knife through butter.

Oh crap…

Sword vs. Spear? Maybe I had a chance.

Sword vs. Knife? I can at least try.

Sword vs. Broken Knife? Oh crap…

I chuck the plastic that used to be my knife's handle at his head, and it makes contact with a loud thunk that makes me want to laugh for some reason. I wonder vaguely about picking up the other half of the knife, but just as I think that, a whiz of another knife sounds, and I feel something yank my hair.

A knife is quivering ominously by its point in the tree, matted mousy hair being blown about by the wind, pinned down by it.

_My _mousy blond hair.

I duck, without even knowing if a knife is flying towards me and my instincts turn out to be right. Another knife soars by the place my head was mere seconds ago, joining the other knife in the tree. If I was standing upright I'd be swaying right now.

'_I almost died. I __almost_ _died. I was one __inch__ away from death…'_

I spin round to see Nyx, teeth gritted in pain, holding another knife up, preparing to throw.

With a yelp of fear, I dive to the side, moving too slowly. For the second time in this Arena, a knife hits me in the left shoulder, just above where it was last time. And on my front this time.

Pain explodes around the area, but I wrench the knife out anyway and chuck it back at her. My aim is slightly off target, and it hits her in her side. At that exact moment a mace swings out of nowhere, slamming into her head.

The sound of Nyx's scream mixes with the blast of the cannon, as Copia and the Trolls turn towards me.

Kai is nowhere to be seen now.

Din steps towards me, limping slightly on her left foot. I can see a trail of blood behind her, and a rip in leg where a knife or sword had hit. We stand shoulder against shoulder, looking warily at the three of them. They are uninjured, and Loki has managed to find an axe to use as a weapon, and they stand facing us. Copia's Katana is hanging limply at her side, blood smeared all over it, a slightly smug look on her face.

"Now this, this is just unfair" I breath, panting slightly "On you, that is"

She gives me a glare and raises her Katana to fight. I raise my fists and Din her bloodied mace. I have no weapon, both of mine reside in Nyx's lifeless body. If we fight, I'll be dead in minutes.

'_For Dou_' I think.

Another crackle of wood, and I whirl around to see the figure of a man join me and Din.

A man who isn't Kai.

I try to quash the disappointment that rose up when I saw the man's face, it would be _suicide _to join us against the Careers. Me and Din have to, he could just run away; he _did _just run away.

The man, tribute, _person_ who joins me and Din is one I haven't really seen before. Or at least, not in the Arena. His handsome, carved face makes me think of statues, and I recognise him almost instantly as the tribute from 12, the tribute who isn't scampering over rock face at this very moment.

He holds a sickle, completely clean of blood, in one hand. In the other is a dark brown bottle, smeared with mud.

The three of us stand, facing them, daring them to fight.

All of us here, baring Kai and the climbing girl.

Career against us.

Us against Career.

And they look between each other.

"Oh come on!" Copia yells, looking madder than I've ever seen her before, madder even when I was taunting her. I can see why she's angry. We just killed two of the Careers, and another has abandoned them completely. Their group has halved in number in a matter of minutes, and they are outnumbered by us. Us who haven't quite lost ourself to the Game.

Or have we?

"I told you that you didn't like fair odds" I say, trying to stop my shallow breaths. "Why don't you piss off back to your lair?"

Copia gives us a dirty look, but doesn't attack us again. She may be stupid, but she isn't _that _stupid. She backs away into the trees, with the Trolls trailing behind her. After about 30 seconds of walking, she turns tail and runs, and we listen as the sound of pounding footsteps disappears, replaced by rain.

We stand for about a minute, not moved from out positions.

I can see rain dripping off my nose, and I blink slightly to remove it from my eye.

"So…" say a deep gravelly voice that makes me and Din jump. I realise a second later that it has to be the boy from 12's voice. I recognise it from the interviews. I struggle to remember a name, as we lapse into silence again. It suddenly occurs to me that I'm still weaponless, and if they chose to attack me, I'd stand no chance.

"Gerani" I say to no-one in particular, and the boy from 12 turns to me "That's your name, right?"

He nods, and I turn to Din "And you're Din…" my mind flicks back to Pomona's death, and what Din said before it, "And Worke was your District partner… They killed him"

"And they killed Dou." Din says in a flat voice. I recognise that voice from the interviews too, that thin, quiet voice.

We lapse into silence again, leaving the unasked question floating in the air.

Then Gerani turns away and begins to leave, in the direction the Careers went. I raise an eyebrow at Din, and she shrugs, rolling her eyes slightly, non-verbally saying. _'It's his life'_.

I wanted vengeance for Dou, and Din wanted vengeance for Worke. What does Gerani want? I saw his District partner earlier today, completely fine from what I could tell.

I turn away from Din again, the unasked question still hanging in the air. I walk over to Nyx's body and pull out my spear, as well as removing her belt of knives. A large pack lies beside Pomona, and I remove it and throw it over to Din's feet. Din deserves it more than I do.

I straighten up, and look at Din, our eyes connected.

"Well, bye" she says awkwardly.

Neither of us move.

A flash of lightning illuminates the sky, and Din turns, moving deeper into the forest. I turn too, aiming back to the Cornucopia and the cliffs.

Suddenly, a voice calls back, a quiet voice that still carries above the storm that's going on.

"I would have said yes, if you asked" it says, and I smile slightly in the rain. I don't call back.

I continue walking towards the Cornucopia, heart lightened slightly, though still weighed down with grief and guilt and anger and emotions I can't even start to name. But the thought of what could have been makes me happier, for once.

I think to a time where the Games never happened. I think Din and I would have been friends.

And the unasked question about an alliance?

I think my answer would have been yes too.

**Reviewers will join my alliance.**


End file.
